Photography and editing Ismael Sabet
Styling and art direction | Hakim Youssif 
Photo editing by Nancy Ragab
Copy Editor: Eliza Marks

 

Fashion photography can be tough at times, pushing us to look beyond the lens to the potential of other mediums. It is in these potential spaces and fusions that inspiring reimagining happens, such as in the work of Egyptian artist and dancer Hakim Youssif, 24.

Youssif gestures toward a more contemporary Cairo in his visual and performative piece for My.Kali. He uses his own body while inserting hints of culture to Egypt’s nightlife drawing inspirations from our day to day most usual interactions. He challenges the viewer to imagine with him, asking, “What if the sous (licorice) seller was styled by us to head to a party? What if we borrow his uniform for a night? What would one wear?” and ultimately hopes that his work would be viewed with admiration and as a coalescence of fantasy and reality.