Cries in the Desert
Cries in the Desert
There is an oasis in the centre of the Arabian desert which historically had 45 natural springs. It was, therefore, an important resting place on the incense trade route offering water, shade and rest. This oasis is called AlUla. 'Cries in The Desert' weaves together sound, film and heritage to reimagine AlUla's identity. The project presents traditional music and oral histories as immersive film installations which amplify underrepresented voices. It enables the people of the landscape, and the landscape itself, to say things which often remain unsaid. The films are to be considered as sketches which connect layers of society to layers of time and landscape; They move vertically from the life giving springs below ground through the paths, voices, trees and mountains to the heavens beyond. Each film title is one of the six phases of the date palm which sustained this historic desert oasis.