Sharjah Museums Department has announced that Lasting Impressions: Noor Ali Rashid, will be on view from October 22, 2014, through December 6, 2014. The exhibition, developed in collaboration with the Noor Ali Rashid Archives, is the first, extensive retrospective of Middle East’s pioneering photojournalist.
Celebrated as the father of photojournalism in the region, Noor Ali Rashid (1929 -2010) amassed a collection of over a million images during his six decades of capturing the ordinary moments and the extraordinary events in the history of the region. Lasting Impressions offers a fresh perspective on Noor Ali Rashid’s lifetime of achievements by drawing upon both, iconic and never before seen images.
The exhibition is organised into three thematic sections to showcase the breadth of Noor Ali Rashid’s repertoire. The section ‘Life as it was’, provides a glimpse of an era bygone where the photographer turns his lens to patterns of everyday life. Images in this section are an artistic and nostalgic documentary of a simpler life lived in the desert, on the water and in the souqs of 1960s. This section also has images selected from the Architecture series and from the Celebrations series. They depict his eye for capturing unusual perspectives.
The section ‘ Building of a Nation’ spotlights Noor Ali Rashid’s deliberate sensitivity and his sense of responsibility in documenting and recording UAE’s history in the making. From the Trucial States, to the pre-Federation and Federation eras, and the years thereafter, these images are an important documentation of progress, accomplishments and momentous occasions in the young country’s life.
As the Royal photographer of the UAE, Noor Ali had an unprecedented access to places and events that others simply did not. Hence, his photographs from the UAE Leaders series provide a unique perspective on the fathers of this nation and their relationships with each other.
The third section, ‘A Glimpse of the World’, for the first time exhibits photographs from Noor Ali Rashid’s International series. A collection of images from his travels to 35 different countries around the world includes his observation of the streets around the world, important international events, as well as captured images of world leaders and celebrities.
Reflecting upon the retrospective of her late father’s work, Shamsa Noor Ali Rashid said, "Our father dedicated his life to the country, to its leaders and its people. Preserving his lifetime of work was not only his wish but also our privilege and responsibility. At the Noor Ali Rashid Archives, we have dedicated significant resources and worked diligently for the last five years to preserve his work so that it can be enjoyed by all, for generations to come".
Lasting Impressions is an annual exhibition, which highlights important artists in the region with a significant body of work.
Commenting upon the opening of the 5thedition of this exhibition, Director General of Sharjah Museums Department Manal Ataya said, "Through this year’s exhibition UAE residents and visitors alike will learn about the country’s history and cultural heritage through the prolific work of the photographer Noor Ali Rashid. With his camera as his constant companion, Noor Ali meticulously documented the historic firsts and many significant moments of our country’s early decades. Anyone who visits Lasting Impressions will leave with a richer understanding of our history thanks to the legacy left behind by the region’s first photojournalist".