Tariq Dajani, a Jordanian photographer and printmaker, showcases the historical and cultural bond between Arabian horses and falcons through a series of portrait studies at a Riyadh gallery.
Arabian horses have long been celebrated in songs and poetry for their unique qualities, and Dajani expresses his love for them through photography and art.
Over the years, he captured images of horses in Jordan, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia.
Later, he added falcons, another symbol of Arab cultural heritage and pride, to his project.
Tariq Dajani's first photographic exhibition, "Drinkers of the Wind," is on display at Ahlam Gallery in Riyadh.
The exhibition showcases 16 years of work creating portraits of horses and falcons.
Dajani is thrilled to display his art in Saudi Arabia, a country deeply connected to these animals.
His unique approach involves taking a studio portrait setup to the stables and falcon sheds, resulting in carefully crafted portraits that deviate from the usual natural or romantic depictions.
Tariq Dajani aims to emotionally connect with horses and birds through photography, rather than documenting them.
He spent 16 years photographing Arabian horses for an exhibition titled "Drinkers of the Wind." After living in Sweden, he returned to Jordan to capture these images.
His approach focuses solely on the animal, with minimal environmental context.
During his time in Jordan, Dajani met and showed his work to Princess Alia Al-Hussein, who gave her enthusiastic approval.
Prress Princess Alia of Jordan granted photographer Dajani permission to take pictures of the Royal Jordanian Stud horses.
His first exhibition focusing on Jordanian Arabians was successful, leading him to photograph Arabian horses in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Saudi Arabia.
He also included falcon portraits in his project, which are significant in Arab culture.
Princess Alia's support and encouragement were crucial to his project's success.
The text describes a photograph taken at the King Abdulaziz Arabian Horse Center in Saudi Arabia, showing two Arabian mares greeting each other by touching heads.
The photographer was surprised and moved by this rare and gentle interaction, which he had never seen before.
The text emphasizes the unique and individual qualities of Arabian horses, and the photographer's admiration for their sensitivity and intelligence.
Dajani's exhibition showcases both high-quality color photographic prints and a smaller collection of unique photogravure prints.
The latter are created through a traditional printing process involving manually pulling an engraved metal plate through a press, resulting in prints with a distinct feel and texture.