Bahrain has emerged in the latter half of the century as a country of the new millenium. Its transformation has been dramatic. The discovery of oil rescued a nation suffering from the sudden and unexpected demise of the pearling industry and transformed it into a vibrant modern state. It would be easy to forget the monumental strides that have been taken over the space of barely three generations. Fortunately, old photographs exist, many of them taken by pilots whose duties have brought them to the region over the years, to show the extent of the changes.
It was while studying some of these old photos the then part of the title that John Nowell, himself a pilot and photographer, decided to try to duplicate the photographers location to achieve the now views of Now & Then: Bahrain. His research has taken him all over the world followed by his photographic work in Bahrain, both in the air and on the ground. In this process many sights and details have been revealed that might easily have simply vanished with time. By the slipway adjacent to the old swing bridge, he photographed a dhow nakoudah who was born in 1904. John enlisted his help to step a mast and hoist the only traditional lanteen sail left in Bahrain. On the exposed tidal flats near the modern Grand Mosque, he photographed traditional dhows, now used for shrimp fishing, against the backdrop of modern high rise buildings built on reclaimed land. 1.2 km inland from the Grand Mosque he discovered the old original flying boat terminal, fitted with the original ceiling fans dating from the 1930s.
Now & Then - Bahrain provides a fascinating insight into a nation in continuous transition, a beautiful and historical photographic record and an inspiration for photographers n the years to come.
