Foam x Middle East Archive
Middle East Archive and Foam are united by a belief in the power of photography to preserve, connect and reveal new perspectives. This year, Middle East Archive and Foam join forces to present two exhibitions in Amsterdam-West: at the creative space MAQAM and at Mercatorplein.
At MAQAM, the group exhibition Al Nisa / النساء brings together the work of multiple artists. At Mercatorplein there is a solo exhibition, showcasing the work of Yomna El Beyaly titled In Her Own Way / شوية وراجعة.
Next year, Foam and Middle East Archive will continue collaborating by presenting a group exhibition at the museum. Middle East Archive is a publishing platform dedicated to reimagining and celebrating the visual narratives of the Middle East and North Africa.
Al Nisa / النساء
The exhibition Al Nisa / النساء is based on the latest book published by Middle East Archive by curator and founder Romaisa Baddar. Bringing together photographs of women from across the MENA region, the exhibition does not attempt to speak on behalf of all women — the women speak for themselves.
Across the MENA region, women live at the intersection of expectation and reality. Women are spoken about often, celebrated, criticised, judged, and idealised, but do we hear from them as often as we hear about them? Life as a woman often means existing within an impossible paradox: being expected to embody tradition, but also to move forward. To remain visible and invisible at once. To be the perfect example of humility while also remaining a physical ideal of beauty.
The exterior of the MAQAM building is covered with large-scale images on the windows, making the exhibition part of everyday life in the neighborhood. Another part of the works is on view in the space and can only be seen during other events taking place at MAQAM.
The exhibition Al Nisa / النساء at MAQAM is on view from 1 October until 20 December 2026.
In Her Own Way / شوية وراجعة
At the public space of Mercatorplein the Egyptian-French photographer showcases her work made in Cairo. Here she explores identity, femininity, and the ways women see and define themselves. Colour, light, movement, faces and fragments of everyday life come together in an ever-changing visual world.
For El Beyaly, photographing women becomes a way of understanding the ways in which she, too, has been shaped as a woman and how she relates to others. Her work becomes a space where femininity can be both observed and inhabited: polished and imperfect, solitary and shared, grown-up and youthful.
The exhibition In Her Own Way / شوية وراجعة in the public space at Mercatorplein is on view from 1 October until 29 October 2026.
The exhibition is made possible by the generous support of the Gemeente Amsterdam, Stadsdeel West and the Leeuwensteinstichting.