Ayman Lotfy was born in Cairo, Egypt, on August 30, 1968, and graduated from the Faculty of Arts at Ain Shams University in 1991. He started his career as a fashion designer before becoming a professional art director in 1996. In 1998, he began photography to enhance his design work and never put the camera down.
Ayman Lotfy at a glance
- Born: August 30, 1968, Cairo, Egypt
- Nationality: Egyptian
- Known for: Conceptual fine-art photography, video art and installations
- Training: Faculty of Arts, Ain Shams University (1991)
- Career: Fashion designer, then art director; photographer since 1998
- Signature works: “Papers and Pain”; “The Search for Salvation” (Venice Biennale, 2010)
- Awards: Grand Photography Master Award, China (2008); Gold Medal of Excellence, Austria (2010)
- Books: “The Other Side of Faces”; “Fine Art Photography”
He has a strong interest in human emotions and expressions, and his lens sees deep into the human soul. He works as a director to a scene, setting the mood with lighting, colors, and music, while leaving his subjects to write their own scenarios with their feelings. His creative ambitions have expanded to include video art and performance.
His work has been exhibited internationally in Italy, Spain, Austria, Portugal, the USA, Nepal, and China, and he has participated in the Venice Biennale. Notable solo exhibitions include “Papers and Pain” at Zamalek Art Gallery in 2019 and “Why not?” at the Palace of Arts-Opera House in Cairo in 2009. He has held more than 25 exhibitions with the Egyptian Association of Photography since 2003.
He serves as Art Director for Alamia Advertising and holds prestigious positions with the Photography Society of America, including Middle East Region Director (RDPSA) since 2007. He earned his Associateship (AMIPP) in Fine Art Photography from the Malta Institute of Professional Photography in 2010 and his Fellowship (FMIPP) in 2014. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Image Colleague Society.
“A piece of paper can disturb you so much it prevents you from getting any sleep at night. It can also make you happy and excited. In the world of politics, wars can erupt between countries because of a piece of paper.”
His awards include the Grand Photography Master Award at the China Contemporary International Photography Biennale in 2008, the Gold Medal of Excellence in Experimental Photography in Austria in 2010, the Best Photography Award at PhotoAsia Biennale in 2010, the PinHole Award at the China International Photography Biennale in 2012, and the State Encouragement Award in 2016. He also received awards from the Siena International Creative Photo Awards and Tokyo International Foto Awards in 2025.
He mixes different tools of staging, painting, and lighting to produce fine-art photographs and videos. He integrates photography and video with large three-dimensional installations, as in his work “The Search for Salvation”, shown at La Biennale di Venezia in 2010. He has published several books, including “The Other Side of Faces” and “Fine Art Photography”.
Q: What defines Ayman Lotfy’s conceptual photography?
A: His conceptual photography is defined by a deep exploration of human emotions and the human soul, using innovative lighting, color, and directed scenes. He blends fine art with photography, video art, and performance, often allowing his subjects to contribute their own narratives. His work is thematic and experimental, mixing staging, painting, and lighting to create deeply expressive and soul-revealing images. He is known for challenging stereotypes and proposing new images of Egyptian women, as seen in his “Papers and Pain” exhibition.