At a young age I found myself gravitating towards the art of portraiture. I found the candid rawness of the human face to be extremely moving, especially when combined with the chaos of their urban surroundings. I believe good portraiture creates a humbling and intimate experience for the viewer, as one is granted for a brief moment a glimpse into the private spheres of another’s life. As a Kuwaiti photographer, I used my portraits to capture the fleeting history of Kuwaiti culture; a traditional culture which is slowly fading with the extreme modernisation and westernisation of the society by the younger generation. In the brief moments of the ‘souk’ (market), I find the history of the Kuwaiti culture still surviving within the four narrow walls of some of the oldest surviving stalls. These merchant men have watched over the ever evolving souk, whilst retained their age-old methods, ever constant in an ever advancing society. While conversing with them, I find the simplicity of their mannerisms inspiring, their stories entertaining and thought provoking. I try to capture the modesty of their lives through my encounters, in the hopes that my camera can somehow portray their narrative along with their image.
