El-Tantawy was born in England to Egyptian parents and moved to Egypt as an infant, growing up between there, Saudi Arabia and the United States.
[8] El-Tantawy was born in Worcestershire, England, in 1980 to Egyptian parents and grew up between Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United States.
Shot between 2005-2014, the series is a heady combination of documentary photography, portraits, and more dynamic, abstract images, jarring with the retro, candid shapshots.
At first glance, her brightly coloured, semi abstract images seem too ‘aesthetic’, but when you really get into and study the sequence, journeying from hope and exultation to near despair, the toughness of her vision becomes apparent, and the whole is brought together with excellent production values and a beautiful, yet not overinsistent design.
[2][3] El-Tantawy's website says her photography is "inspired by questions on her identity - exploring social and environmental issues pertaining to her background.