What inspires you as a visual artist?

I’m driven by my personal experience as well as those around me. Conversations with friends really affect me and sometimes plant a seed for creativity. Most of the time, my work is an attempt to resolve emotions within myself based on memories and upbringing.

Can you describe the way(s) in which photography, video, text and sound come together?

I think when I come up with an idea, I never tame it to photography alone. I explore all the pathways my mind wants to take, just to see where the idea could evolve best. Photography has been the closest medium to me, but I don’t hold onto it. I’m inspired by words, textures, colours and sounds, and I’d like to think the idea is what drives the medium.

How did the process of creating images for your Ebb & Flow series come to be?

Ebb & Flow was created by utter chance. Cairo always gets too much at one point, and my friends and I take any opportunity for a getaway. It was my friend and artist Aisha Azab’s birthday, and we took a few days to unwind in Fayoum. I began candidly documenting, not knowing it would eventually become both a series and a book. When I returned from the trip, it had instilled something in me, and I continued shooting more friends in Cairo. This was a few months before I move to Berlin, so it always felt like subconsciously it was my farewell ode to those that nurture me.

If you could teach a one-hour class on anything, what would it be?

Although I’m pretty bad at doing it, I’d love to teach how to keep a sketchbook, creating this beautiful archive that could be a rich resource for any idea.

What was the last book you read that resonated with you?

I’m currently reading ‘My Mother Laughs’ by Chantal Akerman and it’s heartbreakingly beautiful.

Describe your creative process in one word.

Rebirthing.

What is your favorite podcast to listen to?

When I lived in Cairo, my favourite thing was to start the day listening to ‘The Mother Being Podcast’ while driving to university. It completely shaped my perception of sexual shame and education.