As a photographer, Hasan Ali Jawad has not only preserved hundreds if not thousands of memories not only with his mind but also through his camera. The place where he grew up including those he loves to visit had been embedded in his soul that the transformation of these places made him long for what was then.
Born in a place that is both beautiful and historic, the charming Muttrah has compelled him to also showcase what he has originally intended to preserve for his own enjoyment.
Hasan has been working with cameras even at a very young age. Supported by his father who bought him his first camera in a time when photography was just at its infancy in the region, he has come to love it both as a hobby and a profession.
While there are numerous subjects to choose from, his art focused more on human portraits capturing the essence of a person through his camera and the diverse nature and topography of Oman which he is very proud of. The images he captures usually preserve in time what others usually miss.
Hasan had his first exhibit in 2016 calling the exhibit “Brush and Light.” With the mentorship and support of one of Oman’s pioneer artists, Abdulmajeed Karooh, he was able to grow and learn from the master some creative touches with his colours and the composition of his images. It is with this collaboration that it was cemented in his heart and mind that he is in love with capturing the beauty of the Omani culture and landscape.
“I believe that as humans, we have to continuously evolve. This is especially true if you are an artist as well. When I started, I was always fascinated by the idea of merging photographs with brush strokes to create art that provoke onlookers. I strived to create pieces that capture both the beauty of light and paint and it is here that I found the balance of being a photographer and an artist,” he explained.
The artist believes that continuity of life is dependent on recurrent change and evolvement. He also believes that the evolvement of art depends on the creative and sensitive imagination of the artist to merge the aesthetic and natural components within nature and create expressive pieces of art.
Hasan is of the opinion that pictures enable the viewers to grasp the imagination of the artist and the place that created the art. He aspires his photos to speak for themselves, without explanation.
Another exhibition that Hasan feels proud to share is the exhibition he has collaborated with Syrian artist Fuad Masri Zadah in 2019. He loved the collaboration because they were able to document the similarities between Syria and Oman. The “Under one Sun” exhibit explored all these similarities not just in landscape or culture but also in the traditions and values of its people.
Some of Hasan’s most memorable works include his collection of the abandoned wreckage of the Italian ship on Qurum Beach. The pictures are a strong reminder of the commercial and bilateral relationship between Oman and Italy. The story of the ship goes back to the year 1966, when a ship named Antonello, from Palermo Port – Italy, appeared on the horizon of Saih AI Malih, Qurum. It was carrying steel pipes and building materials for the construction of crude oil tanks. The ship never sailed back to Italy as a large quantity of the shipments was yet to be unloaded when abruptly, on 24th August 1966, the ship was on fire. The onboard crew and workers were rescued yet, the wreck remains to show the story of the Antonello.
Despite the fact that Hasan held only a few exhibitions, he was competent enough to position himself among the Omani pioneers in the field. His contributions to the documentation of the Omani history, culture and places are countless and unmatchable. He will remain an inspiring photographer in the march of Omani photography and while he continue to evolve as an artist, he said he will always take pride in capturing the essences of the different places that are dear to him tracing the journey of these places as time passes by.
