Environmental Photography Exhibition At Al Marmoom Desert Reserve Highlights Dubai's Biodiversity

Al Marmoom, The Living Wild, is being launched by Dubai Culture and Arts Authority as a drive-through exhibition that presents Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve as a living ecosystem, highlighting its natural landscapes, biodiversity, and cultural value for residents, visitors and the wider creative community.

The exhibition runs from 30th January to 8th February and is staged inside the UAE’s largest unfenced nature reserve. It is organised in partnership with Ali Khalifa bin Thalith, Secretary-General of the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award.

Visitors follow a set route in their own vehicles, moving past outdoor installations shaped by the surrounding desert environment. Exhibition structures are engineered to handle local weather conditions, powered through solar energy systems, and integrated with QR codes that offer extra information on the wildlife portrayed in the photographs.

The show presents 24 photographic works by Emirati photographer bin Thalith, depicting gazelles, other mammals and migratory birds that rely on Al Marmoom as a seasonal sanctuary. These images of wildlife and sandscapes aim to underline the reserve’s role as a diverse ecosystem and a protected conservation area within Dubai.

{TABLE_1}

Dubai Culture states that the drive-through format supports its objectives around environmental awareness, heritage protection and cultural visibility for the emirate. The Authority positions Al Marmoom, The Living Wild, as part of broader efforts to highlight tangible and intangible heritage while drawing attention to sustainable tourism tied to safeguarded natural sites.

Shaima Rashed Al Suwaidi, Chief Executive Officer of the Arts, Design and Literature Sector at Dubai Culture, said the exhibition highlights both local creative talent and Al Marmoom’s status as an environmental sanctuary and distinctive tourism destination. She said, "This unique experience encourages the public to discover the beauty and biodiversity of Al Marmoom, while demonstrating how photography can convey environmental landscapes through a powerful visual language that raises awareness of sustainability and natural heritage preservation."

Ali Khalifa bin Thalith links the concept directly to the rich biodiversity found inside the reserve, describing it as a natural setting for rare species. Bin Thalith said the reserve’s rich biodiversity makes it a natural habitat for rare wildlife species, adding that the exhibition offers a visual and cultural experience capturing moments of interaction between living organisms and their environment. He noted that the project aims to encourage reflection on the importance of protecting natural ecosystems through documentary photography.

Beyond Al Marmoom, bin Thalith is recognised in the region for work in underwater photography and long-form documentary projects. The portfolio includes films such as Journey of the Green Mountain and Gaza Diver, and in 2014 bin Thalith received the Leadership in Professional Photography Award from the International Photography Council, becoming the first Arab recipient of that distinction.

The Al Marmoom, The Living Wild project positions the desert reserve as both a conservation site and a cultural backdrop, linking documentary photography with themes of sustainability, tourism and heritage. For Dubai’s cultural sector, the initiative also showcases Emirati talent while reinforcing the importance of protecting fragile desert ecosystems for future generations.

With inputs from WAM