Local artist Hadeel Nazmy discusses her photography at CIC
CAIRO: Hadeel Nazmy is an artist who does not care about artistry. She doesn t waste her time looking for the right shot, the right angle or the right lens. Even the object is of little importance to her. In fact, Nazmy could perhaps be better described as a storyteller, with no plot. She says of herself: I use the camera like I m writing.
Nazmy studied painting at Alexandria University, but was always uncomfortable with the rigidity imposed on her. She decided to break away from the limitations of painting to focus on photography and video.
What she looks for in photography however, rather than traditional aesthetics, are the stories outside the pictures. I don t wait for something to catch my eye and then go photograph it. All while you re walking there are pictures, you just have to look for them.
What is unique about her photography has nothing to do with the photographs themselves. They are, for the most part, pictures any amateur could take, even including snapshots of friends and such. What is more interesting is her explanation of the photographs and videos: The story is not in the photo, it s outside the photo. The process is not about translating the place, but about translating a point of view.
Nazmy refers to her works as bahs, or research. For her, it seems, photography and video are just mediums, parts of a process, a way to record something about the present, but are the end products. She never starts a project with a plan or aim in sight. She starts with an idea that excites her and explores from there.
One research idea was inspired by a comment that Egypt is becoming modernized. Rather than seeking out the modern elements within Egypt, Nazmy turns this into a philosophical take on the phrase. Though she claims she was not seeking to contradict the statement, her shots for the modernism project are all streets and lakes outside urban Cairo, in poorer, more rural neighborhoods. While she acknowledges the expectation would be photos depicting the contradictory elements of the past with the modern, she defends the portrayal: modernism in Egypt is what s going on now.
Another portrayal she has had to defend is her 13-minute production of The Elevator, a film that garnered both gold medals and criticism when it was released in 2005.
The Elevator depicts a young woman trapped in an elevator, without phone credit, who receives a prank call from a man who first annoys her, then grows to be a more intimate confidante of sorts. The flirting is suggestive at some points and the film raised controversy due to the lead actress being veiled. Again, Nazmy wanted to break the assumptions we make: read the picture differently from how we re used to. [the main character] doesn t represent religion simply because she s wearing a veil.
What is especially interesting is the honesty interweaved with the acting, of which there is very little. The film did not have a scenario and the dialogue was unscripted and unguided – it evolved naturally when the almost-professional prank caller called the lead character.
Nazmy was the fourth Art talk featured by the Contemporary Image Collective (CIC), who is running a monthly series of local artists discussing their photography or videos/films. Curator Aleya Hamza admits that it is not easy to attract people to come talk about art but enjoys the dialogue and interaction made possible by the intimate setting, and says the devoted attendees who come regularly enjoy the talks very much.
Hamza says CIC focuses on artists using the medium in new ways and who raise questions through their works: It s important to have dialogue on cultural production today. it makes [the art] more interesting and valuable.
