Xposure 2026 traces Emirati creativity from night sky to microscopic world

SHARJAH, 2nd January, 2026 (WAM) — Emirati photographers are bringing curiosity, science and emotional inquiry into focus at the 10th edition of the Xposure International Photography Festival, showcasing work that bridges heritage and discovery through visual storytelling.

Held under the theme “A Decade of Visual Storytelling”, Xposure 2026 will take place from 29th January to 4th February at Aljada, Sharjah, bringing together Emirati and international voices through photography and visual dialogue.

The festival will feature three Emirati photographers whose practices span astronomy, micro-science and conceptual art, reflecting a generation that draws on diverse disciplines to expand the language of photography.

Yousuf Al Qasimi, a night-sky photographer and member of the Emirates Astronomical Society, presents work capturing nebulae, galaxies and meteor showers, alongside images from his pursuit of extreme weather phenomena. His exhibition, The Sky – Within and Beyond, will be shown in the Nature zone, offering perspectives on both the serenity and power of the skies.

Rashed Alsumaiti explores the unseen world through advanced micro-photography, revealing abstract forms within materials such as salt and vitamin C crystals. His exhibition, Dancing Crystals, displayed in the Fine Art and Creative Expression zone, blurs the boundaries between science and art, transforming microscopic detail into imaginative visual landscapes.

Ghada Ahmed Al Qasimi approaches photography as an emotional and reflective space. Her series Silence, also exhibited in the Fine Art and Creative Expression zone, focuses on memory, absence and subtle emotional states, inviting viewers to engage through personal interpretation rather than fixed narratives.

Together, the three photographers reflect a wider cultural movement in the UAE, where creativity is informed by scientific curiosity, experimentation and a strong sense of identity.