Jenny Bowker

Abu Ali is usually strikingly dressed in black and white in the area where he carves chairs. He is guaranteed a living as this is one thing even the wealthy Egyptians will spend money on. The chairs are gilded and covered in elaborate fabrics, silks and satins and flocked velvets. It is so strange to walk in the tiny overcrowded streets of the furniture areas and see, among the dirt, these chair frames glowing like jewels.

On this day I had arrived to bring him some photographs and found that he was not well. The escort I gathered in asking for him took me to his window and I handed up the photos. He was moved and thrilled to get them, and this is when I took this photograph.

Photograph by David Paterson.