Your Guide to Photopia’s Cairo Photo Week 2023

From February 8th to the 18th, Egypt-based photography hub Photopia has invited regionally established and rising photographers to Downtown Cairo’s storied streets and alleyways, where they will be able to make connections and discover opportunities at their annual Cairo Photo Week.

Navigating the festival’s ten different venues - from the historic and newly renovated Cinema Radio to Tahrir Cultural Centre, Startup Haus, Access Art Space and more - visitors will be able to explore a plethora of talks, exhibitions, panel discussions, screenings, photo walks, and workshops. With countless images, stories and freshly captured perspectives to be seen, we’ve compiled a list of highlights from the packed itinerary.

Exhibitions

UNTITLED BY SALMA EL KASHEF

February 9th - February 18th | The Hanger

Renowned cinematographer and photographer Salma El Kashef’s exhibition ‘Untitled’ will feature a collection of her abstract work, allowing gallery visitors to title and explore her images from their own perspective. El Kashef recently collaborated as a cinematographer during the monumental Dior FW23 menswear collection ‘Celestial’ runway show at the foot of the Pyramids in Egypt.

CONVERSATIONS WITH THE WOMEN OF CAIRO ROUND II

February 10th - February 18th | Cocoon Cultural Centre

In its second edition, the interdisciplinary exhibition ‘Conversations With the Women of Cairo’ will bring together the work of thirteen female artists, including Randa Shaath, Najla Said, Dina El Sawi, and Salma Olama, who through various mediums examine notions of womanhood in Cairo. The exhibition will also showcase the creations of the non-profit organization, Banati Foundation, and a portion of its proceeds will go towards the breast cancer hospital Baheya.

BORDERLESS EXHIBITION BY DIVAZ OF ARABIA

February 9th - February 18th | Cinema Radio

In a group exhibition featuring 17 artists from across the MENA region, ‘Borderless’ is a celebration and showcase of the diversity and commonality of the region’s visual cultures, curated by director and photographer Amr Ezzeldin. The exhibition will mark the art, culture, and fashion publication Divaz of Arabia’s three-year anniversary and the release of its first print issue.

MISR BY DENIS DAILLEUX

February 4th - February 25th | Tintera Gallery

In his first exhibition in Egypt, renowned French photographer Denis Dailleux will finally showcase his images - a multilayered love letter to Egypt - where they were created. Dailleux published multiple photo books covering Egypt and won various awards including the Monographies Award in 1997, and the World Press Photo Award in the portraits category in 2000.

WORLD PRESS PHOTO EXHIBITION

February 8th - February 28th | Radio Theatre

The World Press Photo Exhibition will feature a variety of award-winning works including that of Egyptian photographer Rehab El Dalil, Palestine’s Fatime M. Shbair, and Sudan's Fayez Abou Bakr, and is part of the exhibition’s global tour.

EVEN A BRICK WANTS TO BE SOMETHING ELSE BY NELLY EL SHARKAWY

February 8th - February 18th | Startup Haus

In her first solo exhibition, architectural photographer and product design shop and art gallery Cairopolitan’s creative director, Nelly El Sharkawy, spotlights a core element of Cairene facades, the red brick. El Sharkawy attempts to highlight and destigmatize the often presumed ugly or incomplete heritage object.

Photo Walks

MOSQUE OF IBN TULUN & GAYER-ANDERSON MUSEUM

February 10th | 9 AM -12 PM

Meeting Point: Mosque of Ibn Tulun

EL-DARB EL-AHMAR

February 17th | 9 AM-12 PM

Meeting Point: Azhar Park

OLD CAIRO

February 18th | 9 AM-12 PM

Meeting Point: El Hussein Mosque gate

Talks

CONVERSATION ABOUT 19B: CINEMA AND OTHER PROBLEMS BY AHMED ABDALLAH & MOSTAFA EL KASHEF

February 17th, 5:00 PM | Cinema Radio

Filmmaker Ahmed Abdallah and cinematographer Mostafa El Kashef dive deep into their latest award-winning film, ‘19B’ (2022), while discussing Egyptian cinema at large. The film won three awards as it made its world premiere at the 44th Cairo International Film Festival, with the Henry Barakat Award for Best Artistic Contribution going to El Kashef. Abdallah is known for his debut film ‘Microphone’ (2010), ‘Rags and Tatter’ (2013), and ‘Exterior Night’ (2018).

I’M STILL FIGURING IT OUT BY ISMAIL SABET (IZMATIQUE)

February 16th, 5:00 PM | MINT Hub

Famed for his stark compositions amidst Cairo’s streets and painting-like portrait images, this talk by photographer Ismail Sabet, aka Izmatique, sees the young artist share his journey and evolving vision. Sabet’s photos were featured in Vogue Italy multiple times, and throughout his career he grew to become a household name amongst young Egyptian artists.

THINK OUTSIDE THE FRAME BY DIBO

February 13th, 6:00 PM | Cinema Radio  Within the commercial world of advertising, director and creative Dibo managed to establish a distinct artistic style throughout his various projects, which included the region’s first-of-its-kind sex education campaign for digital platform ‘Love Matters’. Throughout his career, Dibo has garnered over 15 years of experience consulting brands all over the world.

BEYOND TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY BY AHMED HAYMAN

February 12th, 5:00 PM | Cinema Radio

Visual storyteller and portrait photographer Ahmed Hayman bridges the gap between humanitarian work and art, having produced images that carry the strife of Egyptians during the 2011 revolution, and showed the struggles of children and women through his collaborations with UNICEF and UN Women. Hayman is the founder of the photography school and studio ‘Beit El Soura’ and has taken his passion for documenting diverse contexts to over 30 countries.

A DECADE OF PHOTOJOURNALISM BY MOSA’AB ELSHAMY

February 16th, 12:00 PM | Radio Theatre (Virtual)

Morocco-based Egyptian photojournalist Mosa’ab Elshamy has managed to venture into the core of social movements and marginalized communities through his images. From capturing the spirit of street weddings in Egypt to the joyous crowds celebrating in Morocco during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Elshamy will share his extensive portfolio and experience throughout the past decade in a virtual talk.

Panel Discussions

ZOOMING OUT: THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PHOTOGRAPHY IN IMPACTING COMMUNITIES BY DINA HAFEZ, DEWI VAN DE WEERD, KARIM EL HAYAWAN, MARWA ABOU LEILA

February 14th, 4:00 PM | Radio Theatre

Photopia’s founder Marwa Abou Leila, renowned architect and photographer Karim El Hayawan, bead artist and cultural designer Dina Hafez and Dutch Ambassador for International Cultural Cooperation Dewi Van De Weerd will lead a discussion on the pivotal impact of photography on communities. They will talk about the power of images to document and communicate various contexts, and the responsibility fallen upon photographers to approach communities in order to do so.

FROM PRINTS TO MINTS: NFTS & THE FUTURE OF PHOTOGRAPHY BY TIMMY MOWAFI AND WALEED SHAH

February 15th, 1:00 PM | Radio Cinema

As NFTs infiltrate various artistic mediums, the ways in which image-makers profit and showcase their work outside the realms of social media and traditional gallery settings is rapidly changing. Timmy Mowafi, Co-Founder of Mo4 Network and Nfty Scene, will explore the future of photography along with UAE-based NFTs photographer Waleed Shah.