Mohamad Abdouni

In photographs, publications, and films, Mohamad Abdouni cultivates moments of communion with his subjects that develop into a variety of storytelling formats. Abdouni’s collaborative journal of photography Cold Cuts, which is widely credited to be the first publication dedicated to queer cultures in the Middle East, documents and supports localized outgrowths of queer identities and communities that are fundamentally different from their regional and Western counterparts in their expressions of queerness, cultural developments, and political agendas. Abdouni’s works explore the roots of queerness in Arab cultures, particularly the histories and experiences of transwomen. In portraits and first-person encounters, Abdouni’s subjects convey narratives of resilience, passion, and vitality.