ARTIFICIAL KREATIVITY
Invisible Kuwait
LOOSEN ART Gallery. Rome, Italy
The Project
450 Km
AERIAL CITY
MERCHANT CITY
ICON CITY
INVISIBLE CITY
VERNACULAR CITY
CITY OF FOLLIES
FORTRESS CITY
Invisible Kuwait is a photo documentary exhibition that takes you through an expat architect’s 450 km walk throughout Kuwait searching for a raw and undocumented city of the past. What was discovered was a surreal and magical emptiness hidden from the public and fragmented in time with one thing missing—people.
This body of work is presented through eight real imagined cities and poetic narratives exploring a creative approach to documentary photography and story telling.
The project is based on the architect’s experience of Kuwait during the period of 2015-2017. It questions the significance of a physical history that is no longer present by walking through a modern city to unravel what makes this Kuwait. By questioning “Where is the old city” he begins to understand how international contributions and transformations shaped Kuwait and how the country might be in conversation with its national identity and authenticity of design. The mission of the project is to bring exposure to contemporary Kuwait through undocumented photographs for the world to see rather than photographs of a country associated with Gulf Wars, oil, and desert heat.
Ready to explore I asked a maid from the Ibis hotel in Salmiya how to get to the beach on foot. She looked at me and said, ‘Why do you want to walk? It’s to hot, go by car.’ She proceeded to tell me there is no access from here you have to cross the Arabian Gulf Street, one of the major roads that severs the city from the coast, or walk a long distance to cross at the signal. I decided this was not going to stop me and I proceeded to find a way. After looking around for a pedestrian crossing and not finding anything in sight, I decided to dodge a few fast cars that began to accelerate as I crossed the road and then reached the beach.
There was green manicured grass, a Kenny Rogers Roasters restaurant, and a
path for both cyclists and pedestrians. Yes it was hot but I was use to this from my childhood
growing up in the Los Angeles region where temperatures can reach 40 Celsius or more. I
thought this is great I have the beach in front of me where I can go running everyday or jump in
the sea and go swimming. There were just one thing missing, people. They were non existent
except for the one occasional passerby. I felt like I was in a movie from the ‘Twilight Zone’, no one except cats, they were all over the place, it is as if time stood still in Kuwait; I continued to walk.
Rafael Portillo
INVISIBLE CITY
24,409 steps
INVISIBLE CITY
15,354 steps
INVISIBLE CITY
8,704 steps
INVISIBLE CITY
11,982 steps
INVISIBLE CITY
5,853 steps
INVISIBLE CITY
20,604 steps
INVISIBLE CITY
16,404 steps
INVISIBLE CITY
14,496 steps
INVISIBLE CITY
17,454 steps
The beautiful sea of broken blue tiles reach the sandy shores of this hidden district nestled in the North West corner of Invisible City. Behind the main street secluded from sight are mosaic memories flooding the floors with creative patchworks of vibrant colour and striking styles. Known for its cobbled ceramics I cross each unique section of topaz tiles baking in the blue sun, in search of an entrance. A flock of blue throat birds feasting on the ground flee to the sky leaving echoing feathers flapping around and sections of my shoes covered in sand. I proceed through the gate of the shaddowless sun and continue back on the main road in the main city.
AERIAL CITY
24,409 steps
VERNACULAR CITY
15,354 steps
CITY of FOLLIES
8,704 steps
MERCHANT CITY
11,982 steps
ICON CITY
5,853 steps
CITY OF FOLLIES
20,604 steps
MERCHANT CITY
20,604 steps
Inside Merchant City is a region called Gargoor where the Gargoorians weave past times of ancient ancestry into metallic tensile twine. With each twist and turn another Gargoorian lineage is linked and eternally embraced. A new day waits at home as they return from the salty smell of the sea brought down by the setting sun.
FORTRESS CITY
16,404 steps
AERIAL CITY
14,496 steps
Climbing each step of the jagged jade Al-Sawaber mountains the stench of a rotting corpse creeps closer to a feline friend laying in solemn silence. I pass this city’s sacred creature and open the plateau portal to a view of invisible existence. Standing on top I feel the silent breeze blanket the rooftops while picturesque monoliths mesmerize my memory. I discovered my Machu Picchu; floating footpaths and empty civilizations.
Al-Sawaber was recently demolished. It was built in 1981 by Canadian architect Arthur Erickson Associates. With the support of Save Al-Sawaber and many others to resist the threat of demolition it finally succumbed to its collapse in 2020.
Al-Sawaber was recently demolished. It was built in 1981 by Canadian architect Arthur Erickson Associates. With the support of Save Al-Sawaber and many others to resist the threat of demolition it finally succumbed to its collapse in 2020.
MERCHANT CITY
17,454 steps
Organized in plastic packaging and shrink wrapped to perfection the fresh fruit this city sells comes from various regions. A modern mall or a merchant's souk, Al Kout glimmers through the day with symphonic chatter as the fish is sold to the highest bidder. Passing through Merchant City, memories of Fantasia recall in my head as each body of water dances to the meter of musical melodies. Waterfalls explode to expectation and coffee is served.
MERCHANT CITY
17,454 steps
VERNACULAR CITY
17,454 steps
AERIAL CITY
17,454 steps
ICON CITY
17,454
AERIAL CITY
17,454 steps
AERIAL CITY
13.3km
Fifteen floors above Al Slamiya, water tanks rest upon rooftops while satellite dishes capture images from abroad. Gazing out into the horizon of the Persian Gulf I squint my eyes imagining faint twinkling lights on lands opposite the wider parts of the sea. The Arabian Gulf Road is in a deadlock of cars and the aroma of grilled meat rises in the hot air to the floors above.
ICON CITY
17,454
ICON CITY
17,454
ICON CITY
17,454
After passing through a labyrinth of ring walls, I find the staggering markings of the fifth gateway—the pedestrian passage to Icon city. Through these walls lies the infamous Al-Sawaber mountains.
ICON CITY
17,454
Inside the central part of Icon City sounds are silenced to a simmer as another fallen statue succumbs to its concrete glamour. kuwait Airways headquarters, the once beacon of resistance and stature of immense height evoked exuberance of the 60’s with its lengthily laced geometry and delicate demeanour. The anticipation of next season’s arrival leaves us with a fashion memory strutting with success.
CITY OF FOLLIES
17,454
In the city of follies lie the glass guardians of the Souk Al Safat. These gregarious camel creatures slide open the gates to a fabric city of veiled valleys and twinkling linen lights. This lush landscape continuously changes from rolling collaged colours to textures of Technicolor tapestry.
ICON CITY
17,454
CITY OF FOLLIES
17,454