Reem al Shaikh’s solo photography exhibition at National Museum of Oman showcases thought-provoking images of the human form in motion with deep connotations

A pleasant breeze seems to be moving around the room and all the images confined within frames on the walls suddenly break into movement – there is a display of swirling grace, figures lost in contemplation, exploration, gratitude, including the ‘motion’ of standing still…

For a minute, you wonder whether you are reeling under a bout of vertigo, as this collection of artistic photography on display appears to unleash a fantasy that churns within the limited confines of this gallery on the first floor of the National Museum of Oman. You then regain your balance and discover the unique effect of movement that the artist has created through photographs shot with a slow shutter speed, blurring the boundaries of every form and taking the viewer in its sway.

“Within my orderly life, I seek an unlimited and open dimension to create what I cannot experience – to capture what actually exists, yet set it free from its own reality,” says Reem al Shaikh, an abstract fine-art photographer whose work discusses social norms and tradition, having a multicultural upbringing and an instinctive awareness of assumed cultural norms.

‘Beyond The Form’, Reem’s solo exhibition currently on at the National Museum of Oman, showcases around 16 frames depicting various facets and moods of a lady. Every image appears not to be bound within its own form and as if attempting to get beyond the limitations that define its existence. The exhibition will be on till the end of March.

Reem explains her technique, saying, “My desire for freedom propelled me to create this body of work. In this photographic series, I utilise an in-camera technique to produce an effect contrary to what is traditionally sought in photography – a blurry image. By manipulating the camera’s shutter speed, I am able to capture my subject as it migrates beyond the human form. Each unpredictable and non-replicable motion guides my imagination towards the final image.”

Blurring the defined outline of the subject removes the naturally existing boundary that restrains the human figure, allowing it to attain a free-form. “I create this art to transcend social norms and rules, deviating from my reality to travel to a world of my wishes,” she asserts.

Having studied in the US and lived in a contrasting culture overseas during her formative years, Reem subsequently obtained a photography certification from the University of South Florida before returning to her home country, Oman, in 2006. Since 2011, she has been pursuing photography a full-time and expanding her knowledge alongside some of the world’s best-known photographers.

Reem’s fine art photographs have been exhibited in over 20 group exhibitions in Oman and the US over the past decade, including the Omani Art Fair in 2019. Her photos have been finalists in multiple categories in the American ‘Voice’ Image Collection by Click & Co in 2019 and 2021. Her work also features in many private collections in the US, Australia, Canada, Lebanon, and Thailand, besides Oman.

Having taken to photography naturally, since her father was a photographer and she got many an opportunity to be behind the camera as well as in front of it from an early age, Reem says, “All the images in this exhibition depict a woman in a transitional stage, waiting to break free from the boundaries that limit her existence. And all the images have a very earthy tone, apart from the colourful dresses she is wearing.”

Reem also added that she wasn’t technically very sound in her craft, and that creativity scores high in her presentation, without having to technically manipulate her final results in every image. “The images I create are very thought-provoking and I wish they have a lasting impact on the mind of the viewer,” she said.

As a message to budding photographers in Oman, Reem says, “Whenever you take a photograph, always question yourself as to ‘why are you taking this picture?’ It should not just be a click, there has to be a reason behind every click, only then will your picture be meaningful and the message behind it really strong.”’