Made Of Wood

Mariam Ashraf  |  The Arab Documentary Photography Program  |  2026  |  Egypt
Like many born in Damietta, the first sounds Mariam remembers from her childhood are the hammering of nails and the hum of saws cutting through wood. Made of Wood traces the collapse of the furniture industry, a craft passed down through generations, and the resulting closure of workshops and loss of heritage. It follows the harsh losses that have driven some craftspeople to take their own lives, and examines how the loss of a craft becomes a loss of identity. It is an attempt to preserve the memory of a city whose identity is shaped by labor — a story told through photography and craft.