Surface Tensions, Peter Bogaczewicz’s Fascinating Exploration Of The Arabian Gulf’s Contemporary Landscapes

The Polish-born photographer was fascinated by the diversity found in the seemingly monotonous landscapes across the Arabian Gulf. Appearing monochromatic and untouched, the human element has a particularly noticeable presence here. “The region is uniquely pure in its natural composition; its visual purity highlights even the lightest intervention in the landscape as if it were a foreign body,” he explains to IGNANT. His wide-ranging and splendid images explore how humans interact with their surroundings, leaving both temporary and permanent traces on the organic environments. Capturing empty roads, abandoned cars, malls, and buildings emerging out of the arid sceneries, the images set the natural against the man-made, inviting viewers to meditate on the effects of human intervention and activity. “The dynamic reveals a deep tension between what can be seen as progress—the aspirations of the human community–and the environment—the place we inhabit, inherit, and possess as the ‘container’ for our lives.”