The States of Light exhibition is Reem Al Faisal’s                                                                                  .

 journey in defining the abstract concept of existence, reality and the Divine in her photographs.

Starting from Jeddah Islamic Port, the maritime gateway to Saudi sacred sites, we explore the city of Jeddah and move across key locations in Mecca including Mina, Mount Arafat, Muzdalifah, the Jamarat and the Grand Mosque.

A pioneer photographer, Reem Al Faisal reconciles her identity and traditions with modernity: “In our modern culture, we have been trained to focus upon the physical although we see through our mind, will and emotion. There is a spiritual dimension that is expressed through beauty and creativity. This is what I try to achieve for myself through my work.”

Christiane Al Ashkar \ Curator

Granddaughter of the late King Faisal of Saudi Arabia, Princess Reem Al Faisal (b. 1968) is a pioneer photographer. Her signature black-and-white photography garnered international acclaim and has been showcased in numerous exhibitions around the globe.

Al Faisal holds a degree in Arabic Literature from the King Abdul Aziz University before pursuing her photography studies at the prestigious Spéos Photographic Institute in Paris and harnessing her artistic voice.

In her oeuvre, Al Faisal developed a unique photographic language that intertwines Islamic art philosophy with Arabic poetry, capturing the essence of her travels to diverse locations in China, Egypt, Italy, Turkey, Morocco, Japan, and Syria. She is recognized among the few women photographers who have extensively documented the Hajj pilgrimage, offering a rare insight into this significant cultural and religious event.

In 2009, Al Faisal established The Empty Quarter Gallery in Dubai, the first gallery dedicated exclusively to photography and played a pivotal role in establishing a branch to Spéos Photographic Institute in the city. Due to her valuable contributions to the arts, Al Faisal was awarded the French National Order of the Legion of Honour (Légion d’Honneur).

Al Faisal photographs are found in prestigious private collections and public institutions like the Sakakini Center in Ramallah, Palestine; The National Museum of Korea in Seoul; and The National Gallery of Jordan.

She remains committed to her artistic practice and traditional film photography and views her images through the lens of black-and-white prints, to further enhance the depth and emotion of her work.