Gulf Photo Plus

Here, The Doors Don’t Know Me
by Mohamed Mahdy ()
Published by Trobades Camus & Mohamed Mahdy

‘Here, The Doors Don’t Know Me’ follows the residents of Al-Max, a historic fishing neighbourhood in Alexandria, Egypt, as they face displacement amid rapid urban development. Built collaboratively with the community over several years, the project weaves together photography, handwritten letters, testimonies, and family archives to preserve the memories and identities tied to a disappearing place.

Families contributed personal archives, wrote farewell letters before leaving their homes, and actively shaped how their stories were represented. Through this intimate and collective process, Mohamed Mahdy reflects on memory, loss, belonging, and what remains when a community is physically erased.

Winner of the III Premi Mediterrani Albert Camus Incipiens, the project was recognised for its deep community engagement, inventive visual storytelling, and sensitive portrayal of shared histories.

Text by Al-Max Protagonists, Fred Ritchin, Mohamed Mahdy, and Sandra Maunac

Design by Alejandro Acin & IC Visual Lab

Hardcover | 144 pages + 32-page insert | 17 × 22 cm | Documentary Photography | Egypt | 2026

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