A photograph of contemporary architecture hangs opposite an image of a woman framed behind traditional Emirati textiles. Nearby, desert landscapes sit alongside portraits that blend heritage and contemporary identity, while another photograph invites visitors to see themselves reflected in a mirror.Together, the works form Seeing Ourselves, a new exhibition at the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation created by students from Zayed University. The show marks the culmination of a year-long programme that placed young Emirati creatives at the centre of every stage of exhibition-making, from photography and curation to graphic and exhibition design.The exhibition, in the foundation's main gallery, brings together architecture, landscape and portrait photographs that explore identity, memory and belonging through distinctly Emirati perspectives.“It was conceived as a direct counterpart to the foundation's permanent collection,” says Michaela Watrelot, curator and director of exhibitions. “While the collection is largely shaped around western artists imagining this region from the outside, Seeing Ourselves places Emirati students in the role of image-makers, reflecting their own experience of the UAE today.”A portrait by Zayed University student Sara Al Afeefi explores the relationship between Emirati heritage and contemporary identity through traditional dress. Photo: Bassam Freiha Art FoundationInfoThat relationship between past and present became the central focus of photographer Nada Khaled's work. “I looked at traditional clothing and the details and ornamentation that we have from the past, and expressed them in a modern way,” she says.One of her photographs incorporates a mirror, allowing viewers to become part of the image itself. The device echoes the exhibition's title, encouraging audiences not only to observe the images but to locate themselves within them. “I also explored the desert and how it exists today compared to the past, and that was illustrated through the photographs,” Khaled says.Photographs of desert landscapes, architectural forms and cultural symbols trace connections between tradition and modernity, reflecting how the students navigate the UAE's rapidly evolving environment while remaining connected to its heritage.Seeing Ourselves places Emirati students in the role of image-makers, says Michaela Watrelot, curator and director of exhibitions. Photo: Courtesy Bassam Freiha Art FoundationInfoKhaled says exhibiting at the foundation represents an important milestone as she approaches the final stages of her studies. “It is a pleasure and a great honour to have my work showcased with the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation,” she says. “They have given me a platform to present my work and share my name with a wider audience.”The exhibition is also notable for being female-led. Although this was not planned from the outset, all the students involved in the project are women, which has shaped the exhibition's visual identity. “It wasn't intentional from the beginning, but once we realised that it was indeed a female-run exhibition, the students working on the visual identity decided to fully embrace it,” Watrelot says.Graphic design student Najla Rahman was among those responsible for developing the exhibition's branding. “We wanted to create something that combined the UAE and femininity,” she says. “The colour palette consists of two greens and one pink.”The brighter green represents youth and growth, while the darker green is rooted in the UAE's heritage and culture, Rahman says. The pink was chosen to soften the palette while acknowledging the female-led nature of the project.The exhibition was created entirely by women students from Zayed University. Photo: Bassam Freiha Art FoundationInfoDuring the year-long collaboration between the foundation and the university's College of Arts and Creative Enterprises, students worked alongside French photographer Philip Ducap. Working across disciplines provided valuable lessons in collaboration. “The most important thing I learnt while working on this project was not just teamwork, but how to create a strong identity,” Rahman says.“At first, especially when you're working with different designers, everyone wants to stand out in their own way. But when you're working towards one identity, you need to make sure that although the individual pieces are unique, they come together and form one cohesive story.”Watrelot says the project demonstrates what can happen when emerging creatives are given opportunities beyond the classroom. “What we experienced is that students are not shy about taking their opportunity with both hands and going for it,” she says. “They were curious, they were bold, they had ideas and they were not shy about defending them.”Seeing Ourselves runs at the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation until August 31