Exhibition Captures World Through the Eyes of Women

BY MAYAR MAGED

The AUC Photographic Gallery joined in global commemoration of International Women’s Day last week by exhibiting the works of 17 women photographers from around the world.

“We are looking to the world or at least a part of it, from the eyes of a selective group of women,” Shems Friedlander, the director of the photographic gallery. said.

Visitors to the gallery appeared to take particular interest in Egyptian visual artists Marwa Adel’s images, which portrayed women’s battle for freedom.

One of Adel’s black-and-white photos showed the back of a bride in white gown and veil. Images of birds, ruined buildings and people adorned her dress.

Mervat Abu Oaf, professor of practice at the department of Journalism and Mass Communication, told The Caravan that “it’s like having a picture and having another picture inside it … you have to look at it intensely to see that there is more than one image.”

Adel’s photos invite viewers to reflect deeply on the aesthetics within the field of vision.

Sara Bayoumi, another showcased photographer, had her series of images titled “Identity,” depicting people wearing the traditional Egyptian galabeya (Middle Eastern long dress, or robe), on display.

The pictures represent how the galabeya can take a universal everyday dimension: it is worn during activities like shopping, photography and practicing sports.

“I think there is a huge stereotype of religious people kind of not having a personality and religion kind of becomes their personality. I like these photos, they make a statement,” said Salma Rizk, a journalism senior.

A portrait of a girl applying makeup, taken by business junior Zeina Zahra, shows a dead rabbit covered with blood in front of the girl.

Zahra told The Caravan that she was inspired to “address how animal testing is used for cosmetics, and animals for fur”,

Zahra hopes her images will place companies and industries who use animal testing under public scrutiny.