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With his latest work, the Jordanian photographer-artist Tariq Dajani focusses on the theme of the ‘Arabian Horse’, which is being exhibited in 2008 in galleries in Sweden, Jordan and the UAE.
Tariq’s choice of the Arabian, the oldest and purest breed of horse, as a subject to portray in his art, results from a life-long fascination with these magnificent creatures and a recognition of their importance in the history and culture of the ancient Middle East and Arabia. Originally bred by the nomadic Bedouin tribes as a horse to be used in battle, the pure-blooded Arabian evolved over hundreds of years into a creature of beauty and strength. The care of the Bedu for their horses, coupled with the harsh conditions of the environment produced an animal of distinctive intelligence and sensitivity, whose power and stamina enabled it to endure the harshest conditions and demands. War and religious conquests played an important role in ensuring the global influence of the Arabian and it can now be found in the bloodlines of nearly every modern light horse breed.
While the importance and usefulness of the horse gradually declined with the advent of technology, the Arabian Horse remains a symbol of pride and a measure of historical and cultural importance for the Arabs of the Middle East and the Gulf of Arabia.
The artist’s distinctive photographic style brings out the grace and elegance, as well as the lustrous beauty and delicate features of the pure-bred Arabian horse. The horses featured in this exhibition were photographed entirely in Jordan over a period of a few weeks in 2006 and 2007. Most were photographed using a ‘traditional portrait studio’ set-up, others are portrayed in the spectacular location of the Wadi Rum desert of southern Jordan. While the horses featured are all pure-bred Arabians, they vary from being prize show stallions of the Royal Jordanian Stables of Princess Alia Al Hussein, to hard-working endurance horses from privately-owned desert stables. The artist’s interest is less with the credentials of the horse and more with an exploration and presentation of the qualities of the animal’s character and personality, with a licence for artistic interpretation.
Tariq recently returned to the Middle East, partly to concentrate on this current project, after working as a professional photographer for over twelve years in England and Sweden. While his commercial work is geared towards the requirements of advertising and design companies and their clients, his art work explores themes relating to notions of identity, belonging and environment, with a strong emphasis on shape and form. Tariq has exhibited his photographic work in Europe in both solo and group shows, with this body of work he exhibits for the first time in the Middle East.
With this body of work, the artist wishes to pay tribute to this creature of unparalleled magnificence and spirit.
