West Africa Coastline Erosion Highlights Climate Change Toll At Xposure 2026

The Xposure International Photography Festival Xposure 2026 opened its 10th edition at Aljada in Sharjah with a strong focus on climate change, as documentary photographer Matilde Gattoni detailed how coastal erosion is reshaping West Africa and forcing communities to move from their homes and long-established shorelines.

Gattoni explained that more than 7,000 kilometres of West Africa’s coastline are now eroding quickly, with some locations losing up to 36 metres each year and "leading to the displacement of tens of millions of people," while governments concentrate on protecting major cities and industry, leaving many smaller coastal villages exposed.

According to Gattoni, this imbalance in protection places centuries-old coastal cultures at risk, as fishing communities and family settlements struggle with rising seas and encroaching tides that threaten homes, livelihoods and oral traditions, a crisis she illustrated through her exhibition "Ocean Rage: West Africa is being swallowed by the sea", created along the shores of Ghana, Togo and Benin.

Beyond the climate theme, the Xposure International Photography Festival Xposure 2026 programme also turned to social issues, as the X Platform hosted photojournalist Kiana Hayeri, whose long-term work in Afghanistan documents everyday life, with an exhibition in the Photojournalism: Social Issues zone that presents rare, intimate scenes from inside Afghan homes.

Workshops at Xposure International Photography Festival Xposure 2026

Education formed another core part of the Xposure International Photography Festival Xposure 2026, with practical workshops drawing strong interest from photographers and hobbyists, including two interactive sessions by Canadian animation artist and Zayed University Assistant Dean Peter Chanthavong, titled "Composite Dreams: Redefining Animation through Artificial Intelligence".

The Xposure International Photography Festival Xposure 2026 schedule also included "Portrait Photography: Light and Shadow" from the Emirates Photography Society and "How to Develop a Photography Book in 2026", led by Paris-based publisher and photography expert Gilles Kergourlay, underlining how the festival links environmental reporting, social documentary and technical training for image makers.

With inputs from WAM