A selection of images taken in Cairo during the COVID pandemic by photographer Jonathan Jasberg. The title of the project, “Cairo: A Beautiful Thing Is Never Perfect,” comes from an ancient Egyptian proverb. The series aims to reflects candid moments of a sprawling metropolis often viewed as dangerous and hectic:

“Early on in my time in Cairo, as I was photographing in a neighborhood that seldom sees foreigners, an older man stopped me and asked why I was taking photos. In awe of the aged architecture and vivid life I was observing, I motioned and responded: ‘look at it, it’s beautiful!’ The man looked, looked back at me, and in a confused and somewhat irritated way responded: ‘Beautiful? It’s an old mess’, as he walked on.”

While tourists often skip through the city with just a stop at the pyramids and primary museums, Jasberg aims to capture the beautiful moments of daily life that are missed by outsiders and, perhaps, so familiar they become invisible to those who have lived there for a long time. See more images below.