Medhat Soody on Fleeting Moments and Familiar Distortions
Discover how Paris-based Egyptian photographer Medhat Saudi captures the raw kinesis, fleeting reflections, and familiar distortions of Cairo’s streets in black and white
The relationship between photographer Medhat Soody and the camera began entirely by chance. It was the moment his mentor, Sherif El-Maghraby, recognized his latent talent that propelled him into the world of professional photography. Yet, the definitive contours of his artistic vision only fully crystallized after his relocation to the French capital. Paris, his home since 2013, hosted his debut exhibition inside an ancient hospital repurposed as an independent arts space. That show marked his true creative genesis, paving the way for a succession of exhibitions in prominent Parisian galleries, including L’Harmattan, Opéra de Massy, and Tango.
Cairo and Paris have both played pivotal roles in shaping his artistic and human journey. While Egyptian culture and his formative experiences anchored his visual consciousness, Paris offered a vaster expanse for friction, experimentation, and the rigorous testing of his ideas. Despite what he describes as the relentless cruelty of the French capital and the scarcity of its opportunities, he does not hesitate to call it a generous city to anyone who sincerely attempts to decipher its soul.
Soody’s repertoire spans the documentation of dance movements, street life, and the plight of refugees. In an exhibition marking International Women’s Day, he collaborated with a refugee advocacy organization, selecting eight women and asking each to choose a single word that encapsulated her interiority. From this, he crafted a bespoke visual portrait for each subject. In 2023, he unveiled his exhibition Reflection, capturing the streets of Paris through visual distortions on water and various polished surfaces, a project that marked a significant zenith in his artistic trajectory.
When the Image Becomes a Prize Catch
Over the past two years, Medhat Soody intensified his presence in Cairo, participating in a joint exhibition at the Dahea Gallery alongside Syrian artist Lina Al-Malki, before presenting his first Cairo solo exhibition, Familiar Distortion, at the Falak Gallery in Garden City.
The concept for the exhibition sprang from a desire to capture the streets of Cairo through an altered lens, drawing inspiration from the foundational premise of his Parisian show Reflection, but infusing it with a purely Cairene soul. Over time, he developed a firm conviction that the streets of the Egyptian capital possess a kinesis and dynamism rarely found in any other metropolis. This realization compelled him to visually rediscover the city through its fleeting reflections and transient distortions.
Haunted by the question of why he consistently retreats from direct photography, choosing instead a visual medium like water, mirrors, or reflective surfaces, he arrived at the concept of “familiar distortion.” This notion gave the exhibition its title and became a vital key to deciphering his current practice. The concept articulates a deeply personal state of being that the artist inhabits after a decade in Europe, viewing Cairo through an altered lens. The ancient, familiar details he once knew are no longer as they were; instead, they marry the uncanny with the deeply intimate. He sought to express this psychological state visually through images that appear recognizable at first glance, yet harbor a degree of distortion that forces the spectator to look anew.
The Spontaneity of Cairo
Soody believes that what truly distinguishes Cairo is the raw spontaneity that still breathes through its streets. “Here, the rhythm is gentler, more fluid with life,” he observes. “That is precisely what I tried to illuminate in these photographs. I remember the day Cairo was inundated with rainwater; it was an absolute gift that granted me the opportunity to rediscover the city in an entirely transfigured way.”
Soody never abandons the composition of an image to mere chance. He ventures into the streets carrying a preconceived blueprint of what he seeks. At times, he stumbles upon the perfect frame and constructs it visually, yet he waits endlessly for the elements to align, anticipating the passage of a specific figure or a sudden shift of light to grant the scene its final equilibrium. “I do not use editing software, nor do I add any retouches to my photographs,” he asserts. “To me, the image is a singular, pristine shot. Everything is calibrated within the camera before the shutter clicks.”
He notes that this methodology demands immense patience, comparing street photography to the art of the hunt. It is not merely about locating the right terrain, but waiting for the exact moment when nature completes the composition.
Memory Suspended on Water
The exhibition’s snapshots are distributed across the ancient alleys of Old Cairo, its narrow lanes, and the quarters of Heliopolis. These locales were chosen because they mirror an authentic slice of local identity, places where people move with a natural grace that transforms the street into a living tape (cinematic reel), free from artifice or affectation.
From this vantage point, the artist’s mission began: archiving the fleeting memory reflected upon the surface of the water. Those mundane, daily details that many pass by without a second glance are exactly what he wanted to grant a lease on life, transforming them into photographs that preserve moments that may never occur again.
He notes that while every project commands its own logic and distinct parameters, he considers Familiar Distortion one of his most intimate endeavors, by virtue of its direct tether to a life divided between Cairo and Paris. “Perhaps I am the one who is truly distorted,” he reflects, “merely trying to share my own distortion with the public.”
Between Two Cities
Medhat Soody views Paris as an “artistically violent” city, so saturated with creators that competition is fierce and opportunities are hard-won. Yet, he simultaneously acknowledges that it possesses a just mechanism that allows genuine talent to surface.
“If a creator possesses true talent, they will ultimately command presence,” he says. “Furthermore, the independent scene there is vast; almost every neighborhood harbors galleries, theaters, and cultural initiatives welcoming diverse experimentation.”
Despite his success in Paris, he stresses that his recent encounter with the Egyptian public left a profound impression on him, particularly through the vibrant engagement generated by Familiar Distortion. He adds, “All we need is to showcase more creators, because there is a genuine audience starved for art and ready to engage with it.”
Regarding the mechanisms of cultural funding, he notes that France relies heavily on state patronage alongside independent foundations and initiatives. He recalls a personal experience when he secured funding for an artistic project after submitting a proposal to a supportive cultural institution. “The support exists,” he says, “but it demands rigorous effort, research, and an understanding of the right entities and their application procedures.”
As for Egypt, though he remains relatively new to the local art scene, he observes positive indicators and a burgeoning momentum over recent years. He affirms that the strength of the local scene resides in the sheer abundance and diversity of its creators, as well as its capacity to embrace artists from across the Arab world.
Playing with the Aesthetics of Light
When discussing his enduring romance with black-and-white photography, Soody emphasizes that it was never accidental, but rather a conscious manifesto that forms the core of his visual project. “My fundamental desire is to illuminate light itself and play with its aesthetics within the frame,” he explains. “Color, more often than not, distracts the eye and steals attention away from the luminescence.” He adds that monochrome grants light a grander stage to manifest and reveal its most delicate details, whereas color can sometimes mutate into a rival element that diminishes the visual impact.
Open-Ended Horizons
Looking toward his upcoming endeavors, Soody believes that meticulous planning does not always guarantee success, and that impromptu projects often yield the most unexpected triumphs. “There are concepts we map out with surgical precision, only for nothing to materialize in the end,” he says. “Conversely, certain projects that begin completely at random flourish beautifully. There is no fixed rule.”
He confirms that his current focus remains anchored to Familiar Distortion. He seeks to transplant the exhibition to Paris in the coming period, while concurrently developing new projects deeply tied to Egypt, Cairo, and their human and visual textures.
