Haajar Gouverneur was born in
Libya of Venezuelan and American parents who were on their way to study at
Azhar University. She grew up in Cairo
and moved to Cambridge, England, when she was 9 years old to continue her
studies. Her arts “A” levels included
“History of Art and Architecture.” She
then returned to her beloved Cairo where she went on to receive a Bachelor of
Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the American University
in Cairo. While still an undergraduate, she
was employed by the renowned Stuttgart firm SL (Sonderkonstruktionen und
Leichtbau GmbH), the German firm responsible for the design and construction of
the 27 domes and 12 giant umbrellas incorporated into the new extension of the
Prophet’s Holy Mosque in Medina. Gouverneur
was recruited specifically to help SL build an architectural slide archive by
photographing major Islamic monuments and architectural details in Cairo. After graduating from AUC,
Gouverneur worked for ART (Arab Radio and Television) satellite television in
Italy for a year where she worked as an editor and live broadcaster. Gouverneur took the opportunity to return to
her main interest the following year when H.R.H. Princess Maha Al-Faisal asked
her to photograph and record Saudi Arabia’s ancient and disappearing craft of
doormaking as a step toward preserving this cultural legacy. This work was completed and exhibited by the
Heritage Center of the Nahda Philanthropic Society in Riyadh. The success of this exhibition led to
Gouverneur’s book Doors of the Kingdom, which was published in 1998 by
Aperture Press, New York. Caroline Williams, author of the Islamic
Monuments in Cairo: the Practical Guide, drew heavily on the photographic
work of Gouverneur for her video CAIRO: 1001 Years of Islamic Art and
Architecture (a four part video series) published by Fons Vitae in America
in 2001. Gouverneur not only
photographed extensively for this project but also participated in the filming. Gouverneur continues to
contribute photographs for publication in videos, books, and international
journals, including Aramco and Parabola. She is now poised to undertake the work to which she has for so many
years wished to dedicate herself—a comprehensive photographic survey of the
great and diverse architectural treasures of Cairo, a heritage without rival in
any other Islamic city. |