Latest news with #Shaath
See - Sada Elbalad
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
Through Randa Shaath's Lens: Glimpse of 1990s Cairo
Rana Atef On Thursday, acclaimed photojournalist Randa Shaath opened her latest exhibition as part of Cairo Photo Week 2025, offering an intimate glimpse into life in 1990s Cairo. The exhibition features 20 carefully selected black-and-white photographs from her extensive archive. Shaath's lens captured spontaneous and deeply human moments across the city, highlighting not just Cairo's landmarks but its people and their stories. Her photos portray scenes such as folk celebrations at Al Sayeda Zainab, the construction of the metro stations and the October 6th Bridge, the old Ramses Square, a young girl's first day of school, and the premiere of the controversial film Al-Erhabi (The Terrorist). These images reflect Shaath's approach to photography: documenting not only the urban landscape but the emotional and social textures of daily life. 'I wanted to tell the story of the people, not just the city,' she noted. What made the evening especially engaging was Shaath's live storytelling, as she guided visitors through the exhibition. With each image, she shared personal memories and historical context, unveiling the narratives behind the still frames. Speaking to SEE News, Shaath explained that the exhibition explores how cities inevitably change with time — and that each transformation carries both gains and losses. She chose the 1990s because it marked a vibrant and formative phase in her photojournalism career, when she was working for a weekly magazine and spent much of her time accompanying reporters in the field. Shaath also reflected on how her studies, upbringing, and family roots shaped her visual sensibility. She spoke about her autobiographical book Gabal El Raml, in which she revisits her childhood memories in her grandmother's house in Alexandria, capturing the warmth of family life and gatherings that continue to influence her work. read more 2 Most Inspirational Green Projects in Egypt AEW Dynamite, WWE NXT to Strive over Viewership Tonight Egypt Marks 70th Anniv. of 2011 Revolution, National Police Day In Depth: WWE NXT Halloween Havoc In Depth: AEW Dynamite, WWE NXT Tuesday Viewership Strive Videos & Features WATCH: Egyptians Break Ramadan Fasts in Matariya Videos & Features GrEEk Campus Hosts Jobzella Fifth Career Fair Videos & Features 3 Iconic Ramadan Songs of All Times Videos & Features Top 4 Destinations to Visit in Upper Egypt News Egypt confirms denial of airspace access to US B-52 bombers Lifestyle Pistachio and Raspberry Cheesecake Domes Recipe News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Arts & Culture Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's $4.7M LA Home Burglarized Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War
Egypt Today
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Egypt Today
Randa Shaath Launches "Al-Qāhirah 90" Exhibition Within the Proceedings of Cairo Photo Week
For the first time, Palestinian-Egyptian photographer Randa Shaath launches an independent exhibition within the proceedings of the fourth Cairo Photo Week (CPW) under the slogan "Finding the View", organized by Photopia. It is held under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and Tourism Promotion Authority, Ministry of Cultural between (8-18) May. "Al-Qāhirah 90" exhibition is to be held in Beit Babelouk at Sheikh Reyhan street at Downtown and showcases 20 photographs documenting different aspects of life in Cairo during the nineties in order to highlight defining moments in the capital, Cairo, before the great urban expansion since the beginning of the millennium. Shaath worked as a photographer for Agence France-Presse in Egypt and Gaza during the nineties, as well as Al-Ahram newspaper. Additionally, she was the first to hold the position of photo editor-in-chief at Al-Shorouk newspaper. Shaath noted that selecting "Al-Qāhirah 90" as the key theme of her exhibition is linked to her connection to the nineties which highlights the peak of her career in journalism. At that time, she witnessed multiple changes in the Egyptian capital and captured them through her lens, like the excavation of the subway and the construction of the second phase of October Bridge. Her work documents life in places no longer exist, such as the area located behind the ancient El-Oyoun stream wall -including "Al Jaiarah", sugar, lemon, and gypsy monsters- and the Maspero area which has changed now. Shaath added, "The photos I selected for the exhibition don't highlight nostalgia for the nineties, for each era has its merits and demerits. As for Cairo Photo Week, I wanted to highlight different themes about Cairo and document the place where I live, particularly during that period. People are the same. Changes occur in places, clothing, professions, and everyday life details. This is what I was keen to capture, document and display in the exhibition". Photopia's founder and executive director, Marwa Abu Leila, stated, "The participation of artist Randa Shaath in 'Al-Qāhirah 90' exhibition is a significant addition to Cairo Photo Week. Shaath has previously participated in symposiums and workshops. Her exhibition will grant audiences the opportunity to get to know her photographic vision that combines artistic and human documentation". Shaath is a Palestinian-Egyptian photographer. She holds a BA in Middle Eastern Studies from the AUC and a MA in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Minnesota in the USA. She took part in multiple international exhibitions and institutions and published four books, such as "My Homeland is but a Stone's Throw Away" (1989), which presents daily life in the Canada Palestinian refugee camp in Rafah. She also published "Egypt, the Mother of the World" (1990), which explores the history and culture of Cairo over 1300 years, and "Under the Same Sky" (2003), which documents scenes from life in Cairo. In 2020, she published her autobiography; "Sand Mountain", through which she tackled her personal and professional journey and experiences in photography and identity. It is noteworthy that the fourth Cairo Photo Week includes over 20 individual and collective exhibitions for professional local and international photographers. They also include international institutions, such as World Press Photo, Vogue, National Geographic, and Getty Images, in 14 locations in Downtown. Furthermore, Cairo Photo Week is to host over 100 discussion sessions, workshops, and live demos, with the participation of international experts and artists, in collaboration with multiple embassies, such as the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland, and Denmark, along with the British Council and the European Union.
