Desert of Pharan: Unofficial Histories Behind the Mass Expansion of Mecca

Through a series of photographs, Ahmed Mater charts the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca’s origins to its more recent history over the last 5 years. It is a study of the site’s recent transformation — Mecca, until recently, embodied a unique urban tapestry, layered with histories that are stitched together by an abundance of organically rooted communities and cultures. It is a place that accommodated not only sacred structures and sites but also huge fluctuations in population during Ramadan (up...