“This project is an attempt to reconcile with my growing sense of estrangement in my own city, Cairo. Over the past few years, I have been moving from one home to another, carrying a constant feeling of impermanence. This instability has shaped how I experience the city itself. What once felt familiar is now distant and unrecognizable. Streets, buildings, and memories I once knew are disappearing, replaced by new structures that feel disconnected from the city’s history. Witnessing this transformation creates a sense of heaviness and anger, as if something deeply personal is being erased. At times, it feels like my own memory is being taken away. This project explores loss, belonging, memory, and emotional dislocation.” – Hadeer Mahmoud
Hadeer Mahmoud is an Egyptian photojournalist and documentary photographer whose work explores women’s rights, displacement, and the lived experiences of marginalized communities.
2026 Joop Swart Masterclass
Since July, the
2026 Joop Swart Masterclass participants have been working on their projects under the guidance of their mentors and participating in online thematic presentations by a lineup of industry professionals. In November, the group will come together in Cairo for an intensive week of workshops, visits, talks, and the final project presentations, where the 13 photographers will share their work in progress with the public during a
special event.
