A Visual Dialogue: Human Stories Through Modern Art and Contemporary Photography
Sheikh Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi, Founder of the Barjeel Art Foundation, and Muhammed Muheisen come together for a conversation exploring the relationship between twentieth-century art and photography, examining how visual ideas move across media and time.
Through carefully selected side-by-side pairings of modern paintings and photographs, the session looks at shared subjects, composition, symbolism, and visual atmosphere. Rather than focusing on direct imitation, the discussion takes a holistic view of influence, showing how artists and photographers respond to similar human themes while shaped by different cultural and historical contexts. The conversation also reflects on what these connections offer today, from strengthening visual literacy to expanding how photographers think about reference, intention, and storytelling.
This talk forms part of the Official Opening Ceremony
- Duration 30 minutes
Date
- 29 Jan 2026
Time
- 11:30 - 12:00
Speakers
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Muhammed MuheisenMuhammed Muheisen is a renowned, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer and National Geographic Explorer. He is the founder and chairman of Everyday Refugees Foundation, a Dutch non-profit focused on documenting and empowering refugees. Muheisen's impactful work has been exhibited globally, capturing the struggles of displaced communities and the refugee crisis over the past two decades. His achievements include the 2023 National Geographic Wayfinder Award, and he is featured in the National Geographic documentary “Finding the Light,” currently streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.
