In a series of vivid, gripping images by Muscat photographer Mahmood Al Zadjali, a young Omani groom stands up to his knees in the sea, looking all the world like an Arab King Canute, powerless to hold back the tide.
But unlike the 10th-century monarch, Al Zadjali’s stoic, khanjar-wearing groom – flanked by two inscrutable groomsmen – stands with his arms bound tightly to his sides with bright red cloth, a traditional wedding symbol that here takes on a new meaning.
"The red ribbon in my photography is a metaphor for society's expectations," Al Zadjali, 25, tells The National, "while the ocean is a tidal wave of costs".
Lavish wedding celebrations can saddle young Omanis with significant debt as they start out on married life.
In 2013, the country's Shura Council recommended a 4,000 riyal (Dh38,200) payment so lower-income Omanis could afford to get married.
“Society expects certain things from men who want to get married,” Al Zadjali says. “Gold, jewellery, an incredible wedding dress, but I know how much it depends from a family to another.
“These expectations form a circle that we have to enter. Some people struggle with the societal expectations and get burdened by overwhelming financial costs which drown out that happy wedding day they were looking forward to.”
With weddings costing about 12,000 Omani riyals only a few years ago it is clear that At What Cost – painstakingly shot in what Al Zadjali calls "absolutely exhausting" June temperatures – comes at an opportune time.
Nobody can capture the whole world in a photo, so we tell stories that relate to us somehow
Al Zadjali, who also works as a documentarian and filmmaker, said he was “happy to see so many people discussing the issue and normalising it”.
“I saw people talking about what sacrifices they’re willing to make, to make marriage more accessible for a partner they want to spend their lives with, which is wonderful.
“However, unfortunately I also noticed a subset of people turning it into a ‘blame game’. I saw some women saying that men are more willing to spend money buying cars than for marriage. I also saw some men turning bitter about the financial expenses, blaming their future brides for the costs.”
At What Cost ties in with themes of freedom and transformation that underlie Al Zadjali's work, which often casts an analytic eye over Omani culture and society.
“I think it’s fair to say that the more closely knit a society is, the more of an influence other people appear to have on you,” Al Zadjali says. “This has its plus sides, and it also feels restrictive in other cases.
“I really like to highlight this idea of ‘what people want’ and the triumphs of personal choice when society gives people an option to do as they want, as well as how sometimes you feel like your choices have been influenced by others.
“Consider the red ribbon in this shoot, for example. That ribbon is purely created from a well-meaning society that just wants you to have a beautiful wedding, but it can tie you down financially.”
Although At What Cost and the conversation it has sparked are rooted in the culture and traditions of Oman, Al Zadjali's visual art often casts the sultanate in a new light. In More Precious Than Gold series, garish colour illuminates a hijab-wearing woman in a modern, visual reflection upon food and Ramadan. Last year's Arab Spaceman series – shot with retro 35mm film – features a raffish keffiyeh and kandura-wearing man carrying a space helmet, with cryptic subtitles.
Al Zadjali’s enthusiasm for his Olympus OM-1 camera and its 35mm film – which gives his subjects and Muscat a grainy, washed-out look – is rooted in what he calls the “raw aspect” of it.
“In a 35mm film camera there are no computer aids and chips to help you along, and you never get to see your photos until you’re done developing them,” he says. “Sure, this means difficulties along the process, but I just love the concept of this equipment. Once you start using one, it’s so hard to go back to modern methods. And the end result could never be reproduced by digital cameras.”
This intriguing mix of very Khaleeji visual imagery – often executed with knowingly vintage techniques and an eye for 21st-century themes and issues – makes for arresting imagery. Al Zadjali’s work, influenced by Australian photographer, musician and producer Regan Mathews, also known as Ta-Ku, sits comfortably alongside other Omani photographers such as Hussain Al Amri, Meyyan Al Said and Shamsa Bint Hamed Al Harthi.
“I’m an Omani to my very core at the end of the day,” Al Zadjali says. “So, I usually tackle ideas that relate to me and the world around me even while trying to address the stories of all people.
“It’s important as a creator to understand that at the end of the day, we all have a limited view of the world. Nobody can capture the whole world in a photo, so we tell stories that relate to us somehow.”
Al Zadjali is currently working on a new documentary short, but is coy about revealing the subject matter. If it is anything like his previous work, his interest in people and their stories will be at the heart of it.
“All of my stories revolve around people and how they interact with the world around them,” he says. “It’s essential to have a human or emotional aspect, and I love to explore how human beings live and breathe the world.”
Or, as his Arab Spaceman might say: "There is no such thing as an empty space or an empty time. There is always something to see."
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
If%20you%20go
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HIV on the rise in the region
A 2019 United Nations special analysis on Aids reveals 37 per cent of new HIV infections in the Mena region are from people injecting drugs.
New HIV infections have also risen by 29 per cent in western Europe and Asia, and by 7 per cent in Latin America, but declined elsewhere.
Egypt has shown the highest increase in recorded cases of HIV since 2010, up by 196 per cent.
Access to HIV testing, treatment and care in the region is well below the global average.
Few statistics have been published on the number of cases in the UAE, although a UNAIDS report said 1.5 per cent of the prison population has the virus.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
Common OCD symptoms and how they manifest
Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.
Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.
Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.
Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.
Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.
Source: Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Nancy 9 (Hassa Beek)
Nancy Ajram
(In2Musica)
The%20specs
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
Company profile
Name: Thndr
Started: October 2020
Founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: pre-seed of $800,000
Funding stage: series A; $20 million
Investors: Tiger Global, Beco Capital, Prosus Ventures, Y Combinator, Global Ventures, Abdul Latif Jameel, Endure Capital, 4DX Ventures, Plus VC, Rabacap and MSA Capital
Remaining fixtures
Third-place-play-off: Portugal v Mexico, 4pm on Sunday
Final: Chile v Germany, 10pm on Sunday
J%20Street%20Polling%20Results
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SPEC SHEET
Display: 10.4-inch IPS LCD, 400 nits, toughened glass
CPU: Unisoc T610; Mali G52 GPU
Memory: 4GB
Storage: 64GB, up to 512GB microSD
Camera: 8MP rear, 5MP front
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C, 3.5mm audio
Battery: 8200mAh, up to 10 hours video
Platform: Android 11
Audio: Stereo speakers, 2 mics
Durability: IP52
Biometrics: Face unlock
Price: Dh849
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
Biography
Favourite book: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Holiday choice: Anything Disney-related
Proudest achievement: Receiving a presidential award for foreign services.
Family: Wife and three children.
Like motto: You always get what you ask for, the universe listens.
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
The specs: 2018 Renault Megane
Price, base / as tested Dh52,900 / Dh59,200
Engine 1.6L in-line four-cylinder
Transmission Continuously variable transmission
Power 115hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 156Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.6L / 100km
The years Ramadan fell in May
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
