Among its many meanings, the Arabic word NAZAR means 'seeing' or 'insight'. The exhibit is a journey through many countries and many ways of seeing.

Eighteen Arab photographers and seventeen photographers from Europe, the U.S., Australia, Iran, and Israel have work in this exhibition. (Artist List)

The exhibition will present 250 photographic works, most of which have never been seen before in the United States. The exhibition is being brought by FotoFest from the Noorderlicht Photofestival in The Netherlands.

Bringing the show to the United States is a collaboration between two internationally well-known photography organizations – FotoFest International in Houston, Texas and the Aperture Foundation in New York City. NAZAR will be exhibited in New York this Fall.

"This exhibition is dense, complex, and beautiful. Seen as a whole, these works do not allow for easy interpretation or the idea that there is a single truth or a single way of looking at this part of the world", says FotoFest Artistic Director Wendy Watriss.

A Look Back, an electronic presentation of historical work from Arab countries and archives, including the famous Fondation Arabe pour l’Image in Beirut and the Van Leo Studio archive, accompanies the contemporary work.

In its entirety, NAZAR is the largest show of photographic works in the United States about the Arab World(s) of the Middle East and North Africa, to date.

FotoFest is collaborating with the contemporary art space, The Station to present the Western Eyes portion of the exhibit, opening April 23 and overlapping with the Arab works, at The ArtCar Museum.

There will be forums, student tours, and artist talks connected with the exhibit. Dates and locations will be posted on this website in the comibng weeks.

Arab Eyes and A Look Back April 8 – June 11, 2005 FotoFest at Vine Street Studios Houston, Texas

Western Eyes April 23 – June 25, 2005 FotoFest and The Station at The ArtCar Museum Houston, Texas

Click here for the list of artists and more information

As of March 11, 2005

Fayez Sarofim & Co. Aramco Services Company Nijad I. Fares Abdel K. Fustok MD Susan Vaughan Foundation, Inc. The Wortham Foundation City of Houston through the Cultural Arts Council of Houston/Harris County The Bilateral US-Arab Chamber of Commerce The Arab-American Cultural & Community Center The Station The ArtCar Museum Margaret Regan and Fletcher Thorne-Thomsen, Jr William and Rosalie Hitchcock Gay Block and Rabbi Malka Drucker CarnesEly LLP