In the Sidewalk Salon (2014), a collaboration with Sarah and Salma Amir, we incorporated interviews recorded between 2011-2015 for our book Sidewalk Salon: 1001 Street Chairs of Cairo. Using Polaroid photos and footage the twins captured from Cairo's streets, this video offers a poetic narrative centered on the ubiquitous street chair as a metaphor for the struggles of everyday people. One interviewee reflects on the fleeting nature of life, drawing on the phrase, "For you were made of dust and to dust you will return," suggesting that humanity is fundamentally unified in its experiences. The video weaves raw, unfiltered moments from Cairo’s streets, blending humor and somberness, while highlighting the stark disparities in power and privilege through the contrasting imagery of ornate thrones and worn chairs. Interviewees express frustration with the political elite clinging to "chairs of power" while the masses struggle for basic survival, calling for genuine leadership.
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