A Telling Portrait Of Egypt, Mother and Son
- Name
- Denis Dailleux
- Project
- Egypt, Mother & Son
- Location
- Cairo · Egypt
- Words
- Alice Harrison
In ‘Egypt, Mother and Son’, Cairo-based photographer Denis Dailleux has captured the bond between mother and son, revealing the true self of his subjects and subverting stereotypes to present a genuine and telling portrait of families in Cairo — his beloved home.
For this exploration of family, Denis sought body-builders and their mothers to photograph in an unconventional way. Through his lens, their muscular, youthful forms are juxtaposed against the softness of their veiled, aging mothers. In this series, hands are held, and forehead kisses are given; the tenderness of male touch offsetting the dominance of their physical appearance. In this way, ‘Egypt, Mother and Son’ lends a different meaning to the idea of strength; where usually the Herculean form of a body-builder would take the fore, their mothers do instead. Rather than using common clichés to represent strength and power, these photographs offer an intimate perspective of the relationship shared by mothers and their sons in Egypt.
All images © Denis Dailleux
