Perspectives: Lara Baladi

Egyptian-Lebanese artist Lara Baladi (born 1969) experiments with the photographic medium, investigating its history and its role in shaping perceptions of the Middle East—particularly Egypt, where she is based. This installation centers on Oum el Dounia (The Mother of the World), a large-scale tapestry based on a photographic collage. Employing both archival material and Baladi’s own images, the work was transformed into a tapestry in 2007 through the use of a digital loom. Oum el Dounia reflects Baladi’s interest in the proliferation of images of Egypt, and in how technology and interactivity affect the creation, dissemination, and preservation of visual narratives.

Oum el Dounia

Beginning in the 1840s, shortly after the invention of the daguerreotype and calotype processes, photographers traveled to the Middle East to take advantage of the abundant light necessary for long exposures and to capture the “Holy Land.” Egypt was an especially popular destination for its ancient monuments and vast deserts. Photographing in the desert became an adventure of space and light, and the results provided the first glimpses of this landscape for much of the general public.

I spent time near the Bahariya Oasis in Egypt’s western desert, travelling by jeep with friends, picnicking, and camping beneath the stars. In thinking about how to represent my experience of the desert, I looked to fairy tales such as Alice in Wonderland and The Little Mermaid, old picture postcards, and my own archive. The resulting collage is a dreamlike journey, turning the stereotypical image of the desert upside down.

—Lara Baladi