Kuwait's
architectural heritage is slowing disappearing, with more and more historical
buildings being torn down to make way for new commercial centers. Iconic and
culturally relevant buildings like Bayt Lothan, Al-Sawaber and the Municipal
Council building are fading into memory. But young photojournalist Abdulraouf
Murad sees in these buildings and other parts of 'old Kuwait' memories worth
preserving. Kuwait Times spoke with Murad about his passion for photographing
Kuwait's architectural heritage.

Kuwait Times: Tell us about yourself.

Murad: I'm a young Kuwaiti man working in the field of customer service in a private investment company. I love traveling, reading, research, documentation and of course photography. In 2012, I created my Instagram profile to be more like a "travel journal", where I used to post photos and information about my trips outside Kuwait.

Two years ago, I
had a conversation with a friend who claimed that Kuwait is a country where
there are only restaurants and cafes! From that moment, I decided to use my
profile to explore Kuwait, and recently I have focused more on documenting the
urban history of Kuwait and trying to raise awareness of the importance of
preserving urbanism, especially with a lack of interest and demolition of
Kuwaiti history.

KT: How did you decide to pursue a career in photography?

Murad: I was passionate about photography and documenting happy moments since 2002, when I bought my first digital camera. I was in high school then. That humble camera, with its modest possibilities at that time, contributed to documenting many occasions with friends and family and at school. I still have those pictures and the camera.

KT: Do you prefer to be called an architectural photographer? When did this passion start?

Murad: My passion for architecture started after a visit to Sawaber residential complex in December 2018. The complex's story and its struggles that ended dramatically with the demolition of the buildings increased my awareness about the importance of preserving the architectural heritage of Kuwait. These historical buildings represent part of Kuwait's history and identity and have witnessed the development and leadership of Kuwait, and shouldn't be treated like this. I would rather not be described as an "architectural photographer", firstly because I'm still new in this field, and secondly and most importantly, my photography tours are not limited to urban photography. I had an interesting tour to document Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh, and another highlighting the use of public transportation in Kuwait. So I might fit more under the category of "photojournalist".

KT: How would you describe your photographic approach?

Murad: I start researching and reading about the subject that I want to photograph. I use books and search engines like Google before the tour, which often starts early in the morning on weekends. I usually take photos using a mobile, but recently I have started using professional cameras. Sometimes when the place is very vast, I make more than one visit. I take a large number of photos and then start working on selecting and editing them. Finally, I collect related and interesting information about the subject of the tour. The end result is posting the tour on my Instagram page.

KT: From where do you get your information about the history of the buildings?

Murad: Unfortunately, the Kuwait library has scarce information regarding the history of modern urbanism in Kuwait. I mostly use two important books as references - "Modern Architecture Kuwait: 1949 -1989", which is a significant book by a group of researchers who documented the most important architectural features of Kuwait. The other book is "History of Engineering in Kuwait" by renowned Kuwaiti engineer Sabah Al-Rayes. I also do some online search about the places that I will be visiting.

KT: How long does it take to complete the photo shoot?

Murad: Photo shooting often takes a day or a single visit to the place for several hours - but it may extend in case the place is huge and full of details. After that comes the process of sorting, selecting and editing the photos, which usually takes hours.

KT: What is your favorite photography project and why?

Murad: Sawaber residential complex project. When I learned the complex was abandoned and that there were plans to demolish it, I decided to visit it. I used to think that the complex comprised only of a few buildings that I saw every day on my way to work, but I was surprised by the size of the project, with its facilities, gardens, play areas and walkways connecting buildings. I wandered inside the magnificent abandoned apartments, and imagined how they were before their owners left. I find a special atmosphere in abandoned places - they have a charming and attractive air.

KT: How do you protect the rights of your photographs in this online era?

Murad: I believe that publishing the photos under the photographer's profile on social media and on specialized sites is an effective way to preserve their rights. There is also another way to preserve their rights - by saving the photos on CDs and recording them at the National Library of Kuwait. Thus they become officially protected.

KT: What advice would you give to photographers who want to pursue a career in photography?

Murad: Make sure you have a message and a good cause for your photography - don't be random. Also, I would say that you do not need professional cameras and sophisticated equipment to become a photographer - the mobile camera does the job often. The most important thing is your eye and feeling of the beauty and power of the moment and scene.

KT: What do you think about social media? How do you use it in your profession?

Murad: I have benefited a lot from social media in terms of exchanging ideas and suggestions with followers, receiving their positive and negative opinions and their interactions with what I publish. This is my biggest motivation for continuity and development, and there is no doubt that social media is one of the most successful ways to express and share your ideas, awareness and knowledge.

KT: Anything you would like to add?

Murad: In Kuwait, many facilities and buildings have witnessed the antecedence and leadership of the country and its history in the region. I hope that all officials in the state will take care of them and preserve them instead of unnecessarily demolishing and removing them. I also call on all amateur and professional photographers to highlight these places and document them through their lenses to display the unique and beautiful identity of Kuwait, which is way more than just a restaurant or cafe or a shopping mall.

By Faten Omar