Exhibition Opening: Seaside Shadows

The Photographic Gallery in Journalism and Mass Communication department presents Seaside Shadows, a solo exhibition by Egyptian documentary photographer Bassam Ihab. 

What does photography set on the beach conjure up in our imagination? Pleasant memories depict relaxing, fun, socializing and, most obviously, holidays. In the project Seaside Shadows, Ihab takes us on a somewhat different visual exploration of life alongside the Corniche in Alexandria.

The exhibition features stark black and white photographs enhanced by contrast and shadow, as Ihab presents a dramatized vision of beach life in Alexandria and Marsa Matrouh. In many ways, the art of photography can be described as transforming daily. The photographer captures his subjects in absurd, if not odd, poses in spontaneous compositions to turn the quotidian into works of art. Some images take a voyeuristic vantage point showing the humorous side of Egyptian life and the fascinating ways people behave on the beach. Seaside Shadows makes us rethink these social spaces differently with fresh eyes and appreciate the potential of documentary photography to see the world anew. 

Bassam Ihab, born in Al-Buhaira, Egypt, in 1995, is a documentary photographer based in Cairo. Ihab founded Egypt Street Photography Club (ESPC), a popular Facebook group dedicated to giving exposure to Egyptian photographers, and is a member of the African Photojournalism Database (APJD). He participated in multiple international photography competitions, including Hamdan International Photography Award (HIPA), in which he was a finalist in 2017, and Addis Foto Fest (AFF) in 2018. His work has been exhibited in Egypt, the U.S.A., Germany, Switzerland, Ethiopia, Ukraine, and Greece. 

Events:

Exhibition Opening
Wednesday, 30 November, 1 pm The Photographic Gallery
*Refreshments served
 
Exhibition Talk: Beach Photography with Bassam Ihab
Sunday, 11 December, 1 pm The Photographic Gallery
*Refreshments served

The Photographic Gallery
Room P059, Abdul Latif Jameel Hall
The American University in Cairo, New Cairo
Gallery Hours: Sunday - Thursday, 10 am - 4 pm

Book your gallery visit through photographicgallery@aucegypt.edu (for non-AUC members)
 

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