‘By returning to the local, Ronnie Close encourages us to see lived experience as a value for photography in Egypt. This shift situates decolonization as a way of seeing.’

Farida Youssef, independent curator and critic

'That imperialism and photography are closely entwined is by now no secret; but how do we navigate and unpick that complex legacy today? In this engaging, accessible and important book, Ronnie Close introduces a series of compelling responses, using rich examples from Egyptian cultural production to destabilise and radically expand established histories of photography.'
Benedict Burbridge, Professor of Visual Culture, University of Sussex

‘Identifying the decolonial image as neither de-linked from the western historiography of photography nor constrained by the limitations of its frameworks of interpretation, Ronnie Close provides a compelling alternative reading of Egypt’s visual heritage. Tracing the decolonial across Egyptian photographic culture, this wide-ranging account demonstrates Dipesh Chakrabarty’s claim that our historical differences actually make a difference.’
Justin Carville, Lecturer in Photography, IADT Dún Laoghaire

Introduction: unruly photography
1 Rethinking the histories of photography
2 Decolonizing the lens
3 National images
4 Histories of the street
5 Censorship gazes on female portraiture
6 Contemporary lenses within Egypt
Conclusion: decolonial aesthetic futures
Index