May El Hossamy

Biography

May El Hossamy is an Egyptian artist, photographer and documentary filmmaker. She was born in Cairo in 1980. She currently lives and works between Cairo and Spain. May has received her BFA in engraving from the school of Fine Arts in Cairo 2003 and her master degree in Art in the subject of Symbolism in ancient Egypt, at Aix-Marseille University in 2005. Since 2006, May has been part of many group exhibitions in Cairo. Her first photography solo exhibition in Spain in 2007. In 2008 she made her first short documentary film called “Agaby” and won the first prize in a documentary festival in Cairo. In 2010, she has had two solo exhibitions, the first was mono prints and the second was the Souk El Gomaa project that included photography, documentary film and an installation. In the same year, the museum of modern art in Cairo acquired project called “what do we wear” made for a national art exhibition. In 2012, she took part in a group exhibition with a video art. Since 2010, May had done three more documentary films that were related indirectly to the social and political situation, “ Suspended freedom”, “ The square people” in 2011, “Censored love” in 2012 and “ In the name of tradition” in 2013. The last has won lately the 3rd prize in the Women voices now documentary film festival online. Censored love was screened in Cinema reel film festival in Paris, and been selected to be viewed in libraries across France. Suspended Freedom was screened in Ismailia film festival in 2012. May’s main concerns are women in the Middle East, public awareness, religious conflicts and human rights.