From our friends at REORIENT, today we bring you an interview with the Saudi photographer, gallery owner, journalist, and princess Reem Al Faisal. Author Joobin Bekhrad talks with Faisal about her most recent solo exhibition, Nass [People], color, and being a woman photographer in “a man’s world.” This piece was originally published on March 1, 2016.

Reem Al Faisal. Zaheera.

It’s early in the morning, and, amidst news of escalating tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia, I find myself—an Iranian in “Tehranto”—dialing a princess in Jeddah. Scratching my wild locks long overdue for a trim, my thoughts are fluttering amongst black-and-white images of Bedouins, the fabled “Empty Quarter” of the Arabian Peninsula, and the adventures of Wilfred Thesiger. I don’t know what to think; I’m still trying to keep my eyes open and stop yawning, while being distracted by the coffee maker in the corner of my eye. I should have made a cup, at least, I think to myself, as someone picks up on the other end. In a few moments, Reem Al Faisal pops on the line, and I forget all about the coffee, Thesiger, and making a visit to the salon; I didn’t know princesses could be so interesting.

The granddaughter of the late King Faisal, Reem is perhaps best known for her criticism of Saudi society as well as her renowned gallery in Dubai dedicated to photography, The Empty Quarter. Unbeknownst to some, she is also an active photographer herself, and has recently opened a new branch of the gallery in her hometown of Jeddah. The launch of the Jeddah location last November also coincided with her first solo exhibition in the gallery, Nass [People], comprising photographs taken within the past twenty-odd years in Jeddah and the southern Arabian province of Jizan. For the first time, Reem has introduced elements of color and graphic design into her photographs, which show the seldom-highlighted human side of a country brimming with vibrancy and verve; but pop art it ain’t. Who, though, is this artist I’d been hearing so much about, and how did she get me to prick up my ears at an ungodly hour on a blue December’s morning?

Read the full article here.