Men wrangle with a camel in the back of a truck in Cairo.
Few cities in the Arab world have been photographed and filmed as often and, up until recently, as generically as Cairo has, so it is always a treat to see it in fresh light.
American photographer Jonathan Jasberg’s work in the historic city, spanning from 2018 to 2021, draws the viewer’s focus away from the obvious — the pyramids, the crowded promenades — towards chance encounters and mundane moments that combine to form Cairo’s characteristic complexity and endearing chaos. It is an invitation to go on a walk, not necessarily with any destination in mind but with the objective of experiencing everyday Egypt.
These photographs are busy but controlled. There is seldom a single subject. Each photograph must be scanned broadly at first and then studied corner to corner to appreciate the scene’s layers and to make sense of the action if any sense is to be made. Candid behaviors caught at the right moment add depth and excitement. His composition is reminiscent of Alex Webb’s style of street photography, though with less punchy contrast and more browns. Images are tight and often at least one layer is clutterful, an authentic reflection of Cairo’s cramped urban landscape. Jasberg even balances Cairo’s grit, evident in every square block, with the dust that softens and warms the city’s stone corners, setting his work apart from more sterile depictions.
This project was published by Eyeshot, an Italian photography book publisher, in a limited run in 2024 under the title Cairo: A Beautiful Thing is Never Perfect.
The photographs featured here were taken by Jonathan Jasberg. Visit Jasberg’s website to learn more about his work and to see more from this project.