Held at The Factory Gallery on Al-Nabrawi Street in Downtown Cairo, this commemorative exhibition features over 30 black-and-white photographs from Alwan’s extensive archive—just a fraction of the hundreds he captured after moving to Egypt in 1993, where he lived and worked for over three decades until his passing in 2022.
Known for his distinctive use of analogue cameras and humanistic lenses, Alwan taught photography at various institutions, including the German University in Cairo, and left an indelible mark on the region's visual culture.
“It was the children of Yasser’s friends who often called him ‘Dinosaur!’ as they were chased by him in play, like a pack of small dinosaurs running away from the big one. This is how we wanted to celebrate Yasser Alwan—the good friend, the present father, and the phenomenal photographer—who opened up his world of photography to everyone,” reads a note accompanying the exhibition.
Curator Nadia Mounier describes the exhibition as both a celebration and a responsibility.
“Yasser Alwan left behind a vast archive and had a distinctive school of photography. He shot in black and white, using analog cameras. When selecting the works, we focused on printed photographs made available through collaboration with his family,” she explains.
The four worlds of Yasser Alwan
The Dinosaur unfolds through four central themes, each brought to life by a curated selection of Alwan’s photographs.
These themes reflect the breadth of his vision and offer an intimate window into his engagement with Egyptian society and his world.
The first section explores horse racing bets, a subject that captivated Alwan.
His images from Cairo’s racetracks go beyond the sport, delving into the human rituals surrounding it—capturing gamblers, spectators, and workers in moments of anticipation, hope, and disappointment.
The series offers a layered social commentary on a frequently overlooked subculture.
The second section focuses on labour and street professions, featuring striking portraits of working-class individuals.
From quarrymen and tanners to vendors and artisans, Alwan’s lens highlights the grit and dignity of labour.
These portraits elevate his subjects and document the environments they inhabit.
The third section presents street scenes of Cairo, capturing the city in its raw, unfiltered essence.
These unsentimental glimpses of daily life showcase Alwan’s ability to find beauty in the mundane.
His compositions reveal an urban rhythm—crowded corners, fleeting expressions, quiet interludes—that reflects the city's evolving character.
The final and most intimate section is dedicated to friends and family.
These personal images depict those closest to Alwan—those who shared his life and inspired his work.
Through these spontaneous, tender moments, viewers gain insight into the emotional core of his world, revealing both his photographic skill and his deep capacity for connection.
“This last group is particularly touching,” Mounier adds, “because it reveals the enduring bonds of love and friendship, and how Yasser involved those closest to him in his creative practice.”
Mounier also spoke about the emotional weight of curating the show.
“As a photographer myself, handling his negatives and prints made me feel the void he left. But it also helped me shape a narrative that honors his vision—especially the intimate photos of family and friends, which are rarely shown in galleries.”
Photopia founder and executive director, Marwa Abu Leila, notes: “Yasser Alwan had a unique ability to capture the essence of Egyptian street life. Through The Dinosaur, we honor a photographer who contributed to shaping Egypt’s contemporary visual identity.”
A historian with a camera
Born in 1964 in Nigeria to Iraqi parents, Alwan’s international upbringing shaped his perspective.
He earned a master’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies from Georgetown University and exhibited his work in cities including Cairo, New York, Frankfurt, San Francisco, London, Canterbury, and Abu Dhabi. In the 2011–2012 academic year, NYU Abu Dhabi hosted a solo exhibition of his work.
Alwan authored several significant publications, including Freedom of Appearance, The Golden Years of Egyptian Cinema, Imagining Egypt: The Photographs of Lehnert & Landrock, The Scream, and Mirror or Window: How to Decode the Photographic Image.
His photography and writing often engaged with historical visual narratives, challenging colonial legacies and reinterpreting the work of figures such as Félix Teynard, Francis Frith, and Samuel Bourne.
In the mid-1990s, Alwan began collecting vintage prints and negatives from Cairo’s street markets and second-hand bookshops.
Many date from the 1920s to 1940s, offering vibrant glimpses of life in Egypt before the 1952 revolution.
He named this collection Akkasa, an invaluable visual archive of Egypt’s past.
Cairo Photo Week 2025
Cairo Photo Week 2025 features over 20 solo and group exhibitions by local and international photographers.
The event gathers image-makers across disciplines—photographers, visual storytellers, researchers, editors, videographers, filmmakers, art and fashion directors, food and fashion stylists, makeup artists, and digital creators.
This edition spans genres from documentary and photojournalism to experimental fashion, cinematography, food photography, contemporary art, digital media, NFTs, and art direction.
More than 100 lectures, workshops, and live demonstrations are included, with participation from international experts and artists collaborating with embassies, including the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland, Denmark, the British Council, and the European Union.
The New Cairo segment runs 6–16 May at the Cairo Design District.
The main programme in Downtown Cairo takes place from 8–18 May, centred at Radio Cinema, with additional venues including Mashrabia Art Gallery, AUC Tahrir Square, Kodak Passageway, The Garage, The Hangar, and The Factory.
Prestigious institutions such as World Press Photo, Vogue, National Geographic, and Getty Images are participating, with events spread across 14 Downtown Cairo locations.
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