AMMAN — Image Festival Amman 2026 concluded on Monday with a reception at the MMAG Foundation attended by renowned photographer Bob Schalkwijk, whose participation marked a milestone in the festival’s history through the first-ever inclusion of Mexican photographers.

 

Schalkwijk travelled from Mexico to take part in the festival through his exhibition Tarahumara, a public lecture and the closing ceremony, bringing to a close the 14th edition of the annual photography event.

 

Organised by Darat Al Tasweer since 2011 in partnership with Jordanian and international institutions, Image Festival Amman has established itself as one of the "leading" photography festivals in the Middle East and the Arab world.

 

The festival annually brings together internationally acclaimed photographers alongside emerging talents, creating a platform for artistic dialogue, professional exchange and cultural collaboration.

 

Held under the theme “Behind the Scenes”, this year’s edition featured 28 exhibitions, a book launch and a series of professional workshops organised in cooperation with the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation.

 

Mexico participated through three exhibitions representing three generations of photographers, offering audiences insight into the diversity and richness of contemporary Mexican photography.

 

Schalkwijk presented Tarahumara, a visual chronicle spanning more than six decades documenting the Rarámuri people of northern Mexico. Mexican photographer Yolanda Andrade, who also travelled to Jordan to participate in the festival, exhibited Life Goes On, while Persia Campbell presented Liminal Spaces, a contemporary exploration shaped by life along the Mexico-United States border.

 

Throughout the festival, Schalkwijk met with photographers, students and photography enthusiasts, sharing experiences from a career that spans more than six decades. Together with Andrade’s participation and Campbell’s exhibition, the Mexican contribution offered Jordanian audiences a rare opportunity to engage with three distinct artistic voices across generations.

 

Speaking during the closing reception, Mexican Ambassador Jacob Prado highlighted the significance of Mexico’s participation, noting that it reflected the "growing cultural" relationship between Mexico and Jordan and demonstrated the diversity of Mexican photography.

 

“The Image Festival Amman 2026 concludes today with a reception honouring Bob Schalkwijk, a photographer who has documented Mexico since 1959,” Prado told The Jordan Times.

 

“His archive contains more than 700,000 photographs, not only from Mexico but also from many other countries,” the ambassador added.

 

The Embassy of Mexico expressed gratitude to Image Festival Amman, Darat Al Tasweer and AlmanaqueFotográfica, as well as the participating artists and organisers, for contributing to what it described as a "successful first participation and the beginning of future cultural cooperation between the two countries."