Assignment 10: Learn from

the Best

An illustrated study into the work

of photographer

Nermine Hammam

Nermine Hammam- a biography

Nermine Hammam is a Cairo-based visual artist making densely
composed figurative prints existing between painting and
photography. Born in Cairo (1967),
Hammams work is very politically charged. She is known for
the distinct technique with which she reworks photography,
addressing the influence of mass media and market stylization.
She uses collages of beautiful backgrounds combined with
photographs of soldiers and creates a strange juxtaposition
between the two to entice the viewer into the image. Beauty
and violence are combined within these works, making them
both visually exciting and disturbing.
I have chosen to study the work of Hammam because her work
Egypt year one is what drew me to her work initially. It is
unusual for a female photographer/ artist to be working in a
Muslim country depicting images such as this. I was intrigued
and wanted to know more about this artist.
Hammams work addresses the 18-day uprising in Egypt in January 2011 and
its aftermath. Ten photographs from the first part of the Cairo Year One
series, Upekkha (2011), and two from later works in the series, Unfolding
(2012), show how Hammam juxtaposes images of soldiers in Tahrir Square
during the uprising with peaceful scenes from her personal collection of
postcards.

Nermine Hammam, from the Cairo

Days series, 2011.

Power and reality are

myths, constructs. They
reside only in the images
we hold of them; which is
why the camera is not
objective but merely
reflects our own reality,
Quote from Nermine Hammam

In this process, I found myself

approaching power from an
unexpected vantage point;
allowing me to see that other side
of power: the frailty that crouches
behind stereotypes of force
masquerading in a regalia of
military hardware.
Quote from Nermine Hammam

Growing up in Egypt, Hammam witnessed first hand the struggle in power that lead to the Egyptian
revolution in 2011. The people were taught to fear the faceless power of the soldiers. This is something
that Hammam fought against through her work. Her expectations of the soldiers being angry
stereotypes of masculinity were thrown aside when she saw them emerge on the square in Cairo.
Coming out of the tanks were young men holding guns. Her work is a mix of social documentary and
candid imagery; capturing people in their unguarded moments. In the act of photographing the
soldiers, unwittingly the individual was reclaimed from the group, re-personalizing the depersonalized and unmasking the spectacle. Individual soldiers were caught in unguarded moments.
She reversed the roles by shooting the soldiers with her camera and capturing their real life moments.

I had come to Tahrir to photograph images of military might.

Instead, what emerged was its opposite: military tenderness,
virile coquetry and masculine frailty
Quote from Nermine Hammam

Form
The main subject of the soldier has been positioned slightly off
centre on the right of the frame. This allows the background of
the boats and water to become a joint focal point. The boat in the
centre draws the viewers eye into the image. The colours that
have been used are a contrast of bright, bold colours in the
background and a slightly sombre palette for the soldier
which provides an emphasis on the difference between the
subject matter that has been used.

Process
This piece was created by collaging the photograph of
the soldier onto a painted background. The colours of
the background have been really exaggerated to
draw your eye into the image. The soldier photograph has
been edited on the computer to soften the colours
and increase the contrast between the light and dark
areas to make it really stand out from the vibrant
colours of the background.

Content
The subject matter of the piece is a soldier combined with a
Japanese style background. The soldier has been observed
from life and photographed in Egypt during the revolution in
2012. The background is the artists interpretation of Japanese
postcards to create a dreamy feel to the piece. The colours are
designed to be enticing to the viewers eye to draw you in
before you learn the meaning behind the piece. Hammam is trying
to show the contrast between the uprising in Egypt
compared to the tranquil setting of the water and flowers
through imagers rather than words. You can really see the contrast
between the beauty and the violence within this piece.

Mood
The mood of this piece is quite calm due to the colours and
floral imagery combined with the boats and water. The
juxtaposition of the soldier makes you think about the piece
in depth. The colours provide a sense of excitement and
come from the traditional Japanese landscape paintings that
Hammam has studied.

Opinion
I really like this piece as the colours really appeal to me. I
like how the contrast of imagery makes you think and confuses
you.

Form
The main subject of the soldier has been positioned slightly off
centre on the right of the frame in a tank which has been placed
in the foreground. The background is a contrast of soft
branches and pale colours.

Process
This piece was created by collaging the photograph of
the tank and soldiers onto a painted background. The
soldier photograph has been edited on the computer
to soften the colours and increase the contrast
between the light and dark areas to make it really stand
out from the warmer colour palette of the
background.

Content
Mood
The mood of this piece is quite calm due to the colours and
imagery combined. The juxtaposition of the soldier makes
you think about the piece in depth. The colours provide a
sense of calm and come from the traditional Japanese
landscape paintings that Hammam has studied.

Opinion
What I like about this piece is how the tank is very
prominent within the frame. It really jumps out at you
then you look deeper and see the mountains and trees and
wonder how the two go together. This is what really made me
look into this artist as her work is intriguing.

The subject matter of the piece is a tank and soldiers

combined with a Japanese style background. The
soldier s have been observed from life and
photographed in Egypt during the revolution in 2012. The
background is the artists interpretation of Japanese
postcards and landscapes to create a dreamy feel to the
piece. The colours combine well to create a unified
palette. The soldiers have a slightly cooler colour
palette whilst the background has a warmer colour
palette using pinks, oranges and browns. Hammam is
trying to show the contrast between the uprising in
Egypt compared to the tranquil setting of the water
and flowers through imagers rather than words. You can
really see the contrast between the beauty and the
violence within this piece.

Form
The main subject of the soldiers have been positioned slightly off
centre but mirror images on the right and left of the frame in
the foreground. The background is a contrast of mountains
and grasslands with pink flowers.

Process
This piece was created by collaging the photographs
of the soldiers on a break having a cup of tea, onto a
painted background. The soldier photographs has been
edited on the computer to increase the contrast
between the light and dark areas to make it really stand
out from the vibrant colour palette of the background.

Content
The subject matter of the piece is soldiers combined
with the beautiful style of background. The soldier s
have been observed from life and photographed in
Egypt during the revolution in 2012. The background is
the artists interpretation of a landscape to create a dreamy
feel to the piece. The colours combine well to create a
contrasting palette. The soldiers have a slightly
cooler colour palette whilst the background has a
warmer colour palette using vibrant greens, pinks and
crisp whites. Hammam is trying to show the contrast
between the uprising in Egypt compared to the
tranquil setting of the water and flowers through
imagers rather than words. You can really see the contrast
between the beauty and the violence within this piece.
I had come to Tahrir to photograph images of military might. Instead, what emerged was its opposite:
military tenderness, virile coquetry and masculine frailty
Quote from Nermine Hammam

Nermine Hammam, The Break, from the series Cairo Year

One: Upekkha, 2011; Chromogenic print, 23 5/8 x 23 5/8
in.; Courtesy of Taymour Grahne

Mood
The mood of this piece is quite calming due to the colours of the grass
and the contrast of the red on the soldiers uniforms. The juxtaposition
of the soldier makes you think about the piece in depth. The colours
provide a sense of excitement .

Opinion
I think the contrast between the imagery is really clear in this piece. The
fact the soldiers are on a break really emphasises the effect that the artist
was trying to achieve within this piece.

My bibliography
(Copy and paste the links to all of the websites that you have used
to research your chosen artist)
http://artradarjournal.com/2015/03/27/lets-play-egyptian-artist-nermine-ha
mmam-on-the-credibility-of-images-interview
/
http://www.thearabreview.org/nermine-hammam-cairo-year-one-exhibition/
https://issuu.com/roserip/docs/nermine-hammam-cairo-year-one
http://nerminehammam.com/upekkha.html
http://broadstrokes.org/2016/06/07/she-who-tells-a-story-nermine-hammam
/