The project focuses on the conceptualization of gender performativity in the Arab world context, and I am often triggered to address topics that go beyond the socio-political norms, opening unconventional possibilities, and narratives to existing molds from a queer point of view. 

I have been particularly drawn to the physical gestures and politics that exist between males in traditional cafes called “Qahwas” in my region and especially Egypt, which are predominantly and regularly occupied by men. the way in which the chairs at traditional cafes are laid out is very distinctive, with a very close proximity between people, which sets a subtle feeling of intimacy. In addition to the extraction of some of the most common gestures communicated between men in public and private spaces.

Between men is a study of those gestures with exploration of the elements that intervenes in whether the gestures are suggestive of a sexually intimate expression, or just another common gestures used to communicate with one another. Such element includes the duration of performing the gesture, the weight of how it’s performed and the repition of the gesture itself, which was also used to open a window for the viewer to think beyond the choreography of the gesture and observe it from different possibilities and meanings; Some of those gestures are used to get the attention of the person, greet one another, or a dialogue filler. 

My initial research process starts with mere observations which then