We’ve never been able to shake the vision of an apocalyptic Dubai – a seemingly inevitable time when the scores of largely unoccupied skyscrapers inching towards the Gulf will be evacuated and swallowed up by the surrounding desert. And now renowned British photographer Richard Allenby Pratt has created a series of images called Abandoned that makes such a nightmare tangible. By inserting images of the odd lion, rhino, or kangaroo in the dry and broken landscape, Richard calls attention to the plight of the world’s creatures that we have so shamelessly plundered in our ceaseless devotion to acquisition.
Richard’s award-winning images are most compelling for their subtlety. It would be tempting to populate the vacant spaces with a throng of animals running wild, grateful to be free of humanity’s cruel dominion, but that wouldn’t be realistic at all.
Nor are zebras on a multi-lane highway in the middle of the desert, but this series is so well composed that we are willing to temporarily suspend our disbelief in order to absorb the take-home message that we have failed to live in harmony with nature.
Although, wealthy Emiratis have amassed an unknown but significant stock of wild animals that are displayed as status symbols, including lions and cheetahs, so perhaps it isn’t so strange to imagine them scouring the ruins of Dubai’s familiar skyline after all!
When viewing these images, it’s often necessary to really hunt down the animal in the picture, which we found lends a certain honesty to the scale of both the physical context and overall, global immensity of our destruction.
A commercial photographer by day and a documentarian at all other times, Richard explains that his personal artwork allows him to create without the shackles of commercial interests. And he has received numerous accolades for his unique and sensitive treatment of socio-environmental issues, including, most recently, 2nd place in the international category for the Al Thani Awards in Qatar.
Abandoned has been displayed at The Empty Quarter Gallery in Dubai and the artist constantly seeks opportunities to do solo exhibits. Other themes addressed in his work include light pollution and local architecture. Visit Richard’s website to see more images from his Abandoned series along with his other work.
More Environmental Art from the Middle East:
Saudi Artist Sucks Oxygen From a Plastic-Wrapped Tree
6 Groundbreaking Art Projects With an Eco-Conscience
Zabaleen Film Portrays Cairo’s Garbage People
Author: Tafline Laylin
As a tour leader who led “eco-friendly” camping trips throughout North America, Tafline soon realized that she was instead leaving behind a trail of gas fumes, plastic bottles and Pringles. In fact, wherever she traveled – whether it was Viet Nam or South Africa or England – it became clear how inefficiently the mandate to re-think our consumer culture is reaching the general public. Born in Iran, raised in South Africa and the United States, she currently splits her time between Africa and the Middle East. Tafline can be reached at tafline (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
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Hi Tafline
Thanks so much for your review of my project. It was a great pleasure to read someone who really ‘got it’!
Best regards
Richard
Thank you so much Richard. This is such powerful work.
All cities will indeed be abandoned when the planet becomes too toxic to support life — unless the people can agree to safely recycle 100% of all human-generated waste materials, and peacefully reduce the population with family planning education. Then there would be plenty of resources for a smaller population at low prices with no harm to the environment.
Shades of Bruce Willis in the film 13 Monkeys?