‘Paused Mirror: The Saudi Artists’ by Osama Esid

Hayy Jameel’s first year is marked by a new commission by artist Osama Esid that takes as a starting point his background in portraiture and explorations of historical photography methods. ‘Paused Mirror’ draws on Osama Esid’s “wet plate collodion” portraits and landscapes, and is developed via a collaborative journey through the Kingdom, setting up field studios in and around Riyadh, the Eastern Province and Jeddah, and working with host artists and organisations to capture portraits of Saudi artists; these are then set for display throughout Hayy Jameel’s three storeys. The project is intended as a tribute to Saudi artists, who are at the heart of Hayy Community. The textural, hands-on nature of the photographic method also reflects Hayy Jameel’s commitment to the artistic process, and the trust placed in and between artists and the institution. 

Osama Esid has long engaged with the arts community in Saudi, and is an “artist’s artist”, fully committed to exploring and perfecting analogue photographic techniques, while embracing the enigmatic nature of process and practice.