Omar Al Gurg UAE, b. 1995
Everyman's Mountain: Heathland – 001, 2021
Archival print on cotton rag
83.3 x 125 cm
32 3/4 x 49 1/4 in
32 3/4 x 49 1/4 in
Edition of 3 + 2 AP's
In 'Everyman’s Mountain', Omar Al Gurg presents a compelling series of photographs documents Kilimanjaro’s striking ecological diversity, captured through Al Gurg’s attentive and empathetic gaze during a six-day journey in...
In 'Everyman’s Mountain', Omar Al Gurg presents a compelling series of photographs documents Kilimanjaro’s striking ecological diversity, captured through Al Gurg’s attentive and empathetic gaze during a six-day journey in 2021. His work offers a nuanced exploration of the mountain as a living, evolving ecosystem shaped by natural forces and human presence.
Al Gurg’s mission was to fill a visual gap – Kilimanjaro’s complex environmental zones remain under-represented in contemporary photography. His images reveal the mountain’s layered habitats, from mist-laden forests and regenerating moorlands affected by recent fires to the fragile ice caps near the summit. Throughout the journey, Al Gurg and a group of hikers were supported and outnumbered by a team of porters, whose vital role underscores the communal and human dimension of this often solitary narrative. His deliberate pauses to document subtle details – light filtering through foliage, the resilience of new growth, and shifting cloud formations – reflect a profound attentiveness that transcends the physical challenge.
At the heart of 'Everyman’s Mountain' lies a meditation on scale and significance. Al Gurg’s experience reveals the mountain as a site where human presence feels both essential and insignificant, a reminder of our fleeting impact against enduring natural cycles. The photographs quietly confront environmental urgency – melting glaciers, forest fire scars, and the delicate balance of Kilimanjaro’s ecosystems – inviting viewers to reflect on their own relationship to nature and collective responsibility.
'Everyman’s Mountain' is not about conquest but about process: the act of seeing, appreciating, and bearing witness. It is a visual testament to resilience, vulnerability, and the quiet beauty found in the mountain’s every detail, encouraging us all to engage with the natural world through a lens of humility and stewardship.
Al Gurg’s mission was to fill a visual gap – Kilimanjaro’s complex environmental zones remain under-represented in contemporary photography. His images reveal the mountain’s layered habitats, from mist-laden forests and regenerating moorlands affected by recent fires to the fragile ice caps near the summit. Throughout the journey, Al Gurg and a group of hikers were supported and outnumbered by a team of porters, whose vital role underscores the communal and human dimension of this often solitary narrative. His deliberate pauses to document subtle details – light filtering through foliage, the resilience of new growth, and shifting cloud formations – reflect a profound attentiveness that transcends the physical challenge.
At the heart of 'Everyman’s Mountain' lies a meditation on scale and significance. Al Gurg’s experience reveals the mountain as a site where human presence feels both essential and insignificant, a reminder of our fleeting impact against enduring natural cycles. The photographs quietly confront environmental urgency – melting glaciers, forest fire scars, and the delicate balance of Kilimanjaro’s ecosystems – inviting viewers to reflect on their own relationship to nature and collective responsibility.
'Everyman’s Mountain' is not about conquest but about process: the act of seeing, appreciating, and bearing witness. It is a visual testament to resilience, vulnerability, and the quiet beauty found in the mountain’s every detail, encouraging us all to engage with the natural world through a lens of humility and stewardship.
Join Mailing List
Thank you for signining up to Lawrie Shabibi. Please note that at the moment we are not accepting any artist submissions.
* denotes required fields
We will process the personal data you have supplied in accordance with our privacy policy (available on request). You can unsubscribe or change your preferences at any time by clicking the link in our emails.