Josh Adam Jones – XO

In the spring of 2018, Jones travelled to Oman to unearth and communicate stories about the expatriate communities of its capital city, Muscat. Driven by the desire to challenge his own perspectives and views which had been tainted by Western media, Jones concentrated on the relationship between local people and outsiders, emphasising the human aspects of the Middle East.

With over forty-five percent of the population falling into the expatriate category, Muscat plays host to a rich, diverse and colourful culture. The notion of ‘home’ as a recurrent theme quickly became evident, and the word itself contained a multitude of meaning for different people. Regardless of social status, occupation or nationality, there seemed to be an enormity of pride throughout the country’s populace for the place they call home. There was a huge amount of hospitality and generosity shown by the people of Oman, and Jones was fortunate enough to work alongside people within The British Embassy, Oman Tourism College and British School Muscat.

This project was partly a response to Western misconceptions of the East, and misrepresentations of Oriental values and beliefs. Having since returned to continue the project, Jones invites people to contribute hand written accounts of their idea of ‘home’ and their experiences of Oman. The country is peaceful and prosperous; a sanctuary from the conflicts that affect that part of the world.

Since beginning XO in 2018, Josh Adam Jones is now working on a collective commission from the British Council and Ffotogallery in Wales. The Place I Call Home looks to expand on the themes and ideas presented in XO, but also hopes to document the experiences of the Omani diaspora living in the UK.

As a social documentary photographer from Cheltenham, Jones seeks to communicate stories about misrepresented places and those who live in them. From the ageing Irish populations of UK towns and cities, to the expatriate communities of a lesser known Middle Eastern country, Jones hopes to facilitate conversations about identity, home and interculturalism through his work.

Spreading his time between working as a photographic assistant or on commissions, Jones also works on and disseminates self-funded projects through the means of publication. The British Journal of Photography, It’s Nice That, and Then There Was Us have provided a continued platform for communicating his stories, both online and in print.

Jones is now making work whilst studying a part-time MA course in photography and has recently been involved with a collaborative commission from the British Council & Ffotogallery: The Place I Call Home. This joint project has enabled Jones to continue making work in line with similar themes investigated in XO and has provided a worldwide exhibition platform in which to show the work.