Writers, photographers put Sharjah in focus through fine art books

Their reflections occurred during a session at the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2025), featuring contributors Mohammed Mahdi Humaidah, Saeed Saeed, Dany Eid, Diaa Murad, and Majed Al Bastaki, who collaborated on Sharjah from the Sky, Mosques of Sharjah, and Sharjah Libraries. The panel explored the creative process behind these titles, emphasising how visual storytelling and written narrative combine to create a multidimensional portrayal of the emirate.

Sharjah told in pictures and prose

Author Mohammed Mahdi Humaidah, who wrote Mosques of Sharjah and Sharjah Libraries, stated that the books were created to preserve the emirate’s cultural and architectural memory by combining narrative and visual detail. Marking a hundred years since Sharjah’s first library was established, the project regarded words and images as complementary forms of expression.

“Photographs carry meaning and writing evokes a clear visual sense,” Humaidah explained, adding that the collaboration between writers and photographers became “a creative test of who could best reflect the subject’s essence.”

He observed that the resulting publications offered readers a seamless experience, flowing smoothly between historical, descriptive, and poetic modes, thus creating a vivid and lasting impression of Sharjah’s identity and heritage.

Showcasing Sharjah from the Sky

Photographer Dany Eid, who captured Sharjah from above, shared insights from an intense 20-day aerial photography expedition covering more than 45 locations across the emirate. Working an average of 15 hours daily, he documented Sharjah’s natural landscapes, heritage sites, and modern infrastructure — from the BEEAH headquarters and Al Suhub Rest Area to the archaeological zones of Mleiha.

Eid said that photographing the emirate from above revealed “a spatial clarity impossible to see from the ground,” allowing him to present Sharjah’s natural, historical, and urban dimensions as a single interconnected visual story. His work highlighted the emirate’s unique balance between preservation and progress, portraying Sharjah as a living harmony between tradition and modernity.

Capturing the beauty and intricacy of Sharjah’s mosques

Photographer Diaa Murad, who documented the mosques of Sharjah, recounted the extensive fieldwork that led him to visit numerous mosques in search of the most striking architectural compositions. The month-long project yielded over 200 photographs, capturing each structure’s artistic and historical significance — from sweeping exterior views to detailed close-ups of mihrabs and domes as visual artefacts.

Murad said the project improved his artistic outlook and deepened his understanding of Islamic architecture, giving him a new appreciation for Sharjah’s dedication to maintaining cultural beauty through design. He described the experience as “a spiritual and creative journey,” reflecting both aesthetic mastery and cultural depth.