Jette Bang - Portrait of Qatar's Bedouins

In the spring of 1959, Danish photographer Jette Bang (1914–1964) arrived in Qatar. By that time she had an impressive background as one of Denmark's leading photographers, having gained acclaim for her portrayals of Greenland’s indigenous population in photographs and films. Now, she turned her gaze towards the Middle East – specifically to the Bedouins in Qatar.

Over the course of three months, Jette Bang and ethnographer Klaus Ferdinand followed two Bedouin tribes in Qatar’s desert landscape. The outcome was over 1,200 photographs, both black and white and in colour, as well as footage for the documentary film Bedouins (1962). These images undoubtedly hold great ethnographic value, but they also possess an artistic and aesthetic dimension that elevates them far beyond pure documentation.

Jette Bang trained as a photographer at Jonals Co.—one of the most innovative agencies of the time within advertising photography. The agency was known for drawing inspiration from the German art movement Neue Sachlichkeit, whose focus on objective and realistic aesthetics is clearly reflected in her work. Each composition is meticulously crafted, poised between art and documentation.

Bang had an unusual and distinctive ability to build trust with the people she photographed. She described how the sense of community with fellow women helped her gain access to the private tent areas. The women quite literally lifted the veil for Bang, granting her insight behind an otherwise closed façade. This trust is palpable in the photographs, which capture intimate scenes of everyday life among the Bedouins –from women raising tents to children playing and camels resting in the sand.

Her works testify to a deep understanding of the art of composition. Each scene contains multiple layers: dynamic movements, contrasts between light and shadow, lines and planes. The photos were taken with a Rolleiflex camera, which has a square format that, incidentally, resembles today’s Instagram pictures

Now visitors can enjoy a selection of Bang’s photographic records from Qatar, as well as the film Bedouins, when The David Collection opens its doors to the exhibition Jette Bang – Portrait of Qatar’s Bedouins. Devised by curator Peter Wandel, the exhibition adopts a dual perspective, both ethnographic and artistic, encompassing larger narratives about culture, relationships and humanity. It is precisely this blend of documentary authenticity and artistic sensibility that makes Jette Bang’s works both timeless and fascinating.

The exhibition is accompanied by a book, available for purchase in the museum shop..

For further information and press images, please contact:
Marianne Friis Vindahl: [email protected]