“Imposter emerges from a personal sense of alienation and not belonging. I draw on the concept of Al-Dakhila from Bedouin society to reflect on my position within society and the world, and my relationship with the places I inhabit and am expected to belong to.
I approach the idea of the imposter not as someone pretending to belong, but as an existential condition that reflects my constant feeling of being an outsider, even in places that are supposed to be home.
Through this work, I explore the tension between presence and belonging, between being part of a place and feeling outside of it. Belonging becomes an open question, shifting between the desire to be part of a place and the persistent feeling of being an outsider. Perhaps it is not so much about searching for a place to belong, but about understanding this sense of alienation that follows me wherever I go.” – Ruba Alfaraouna
Ruba Alfaraouna is a Palestinian visual and sound artist whose work explores voice, land, memory, and Bedouin identity through sound, photography, and video.
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.
