Fatma

Siwa Oasis hosts one of the most traditional societies, not only of Egypt, but of the entire Middle East. Foreigners almost never get in touch with Siwa women, and you hardly see them in public. Fatima waved at me from her window and took me in her house.

For her new photo series "Fatma", Nathalie Mohadjer travelled to the Siwa Oasis in Egypt, which is home to one of the most traditional societies in the entire Middle East. An oasis, by definition a limited space, also has a special cultural status. In the Western imagination, it often functions as a paradisiacal and soothing place. In reality, however, this abstinence longed for by a hectic society can quickly lead to multiple isolation. Nathalie Mohadjer explores this ambivalence without judgement. With great empathy, she leaves the scene to her protagonists. She makes them visible, even if their faces often remain hidden under a veil. Nathalie Mohadjer accompanies the people in Siwa not only as a photographer, but also as a friend and family member. The bond she forges with them is palpable in her pictures. With trust and respect, she makes the stories of the people in this light-flooded place artistically tangible. The result is a poetic distillation that radiates beauty deeply touching the viewer.

Text by Milen Crastev