A painting series by Reem Nazir based on historical photographs and first-hand accounts both ancient and modern.
The exhibition ‘Hajj Journey Through the Ages’ explores the history of the Hajj, the pilgrimage to the Holy City of Makkah and the performance of its rituals through archival photographs, vividly inspiring oil paintings, as well as historical accounts. ‘Hajj Journey Through the Ages’ highlights the fifth pillar of Islam. This series depicts a bygone era, when the long and arduous travel to the Hijaz was mostly undertaken by camel caravan and traditional sailing dhows, before the advent of steamships, trains, and air travel. The historic reference photographs, mostly taken from the archives of the Barakat Trust and Royal Geographic Society, relate to scenes depicted in the paintings.
The descriptions of each scene are provided by a variety of historical ‘voices’. Evocative quotations of first hand witnesses, from the earliest Islamic historians and travellers, through to later Eastern and Western travellers, are used in addition to verses from the Holy Quran and traditional sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
This exhibition presents a series of forty-four original oil paintings by Saudi Arabian artist Reem Nazir. Through her experienced brush strokes and her delicate eyes we invite you to enjoy this exhibition ‘Hajj Journey Through the Ages’.
