‘Forever Is Now’ Egyptian exhibition at the Pyrimads of Giza
Written by: Rachel Caborn
Image Credit of Art D'Égypte - JR: Greetings From Giza
The Forever is Now contemporary art exhibition opened on 21st October 2021 and lasted for 3 weeks. It was the first of its kind to be held in the world heritage site, the Giza Pyramids. The exhibition pushed the boundaries between the past and present and merged the two through contemporary art at the site of ancient heritage. There featured 10 contemporary art installations by leading international artists, all thought-provoking and prompting different views of the pyramids themselves.
Image Credit of Art D'Égypte - Lorenzo Quinn: Together
The exhibition was an amalgamation of 3 years of work by Art D'Égypte and UNESCO, along with many curators and supporting partners to make it possible. They overcame a series of challenges to bring this event to life, from the pandemic to funding and let alone the logistics of placing an exhibition within the ancient site itself. It’s clear from the praise of the event that this hard work was worth the effort as it brought together key creators and art enthusiasts alike.
Forever is Now was Art D'Égypte's fourth exhibition as part of their annual contemporary art displays. Art D'Égypte is an organisation curating art that aims to promote Egyptian artists as well as preserve Egypt’s heritage. The Forever is Now exhibition did exactly that, it brought together Egyptian art in one of Egypt’s most cultural and historical sites. Nadine A. Ghaffar, the Founder of Art D’Égypte said that “Egyptian culture is a gift to humanity, and the purpose of this exhibition is to showcase these treasures in a dialogue with the contemporary on an international scale, to the rest of the world.” Bringing in international artists widened the impact of this event and the topics of the art with Egypt and Egyptian culture at the heart of it all.
Image Credit of Art D'Égypte - Moataz Nasr's: Barzakh
The 10 art installations featured were expertly curated to communicate themes of blending the lines between the contemporary and the ancient. There showcased art by the world’s very first AI robot artist, Ai-Da who can paint, draw and sculpt through their own initiative. Artificial intelligence is the epitome of contemporary and future potential, the humanoid’s purpose was to raise questions and thought of self-perception. Jean René, the French artist, contributed ‘Greetings From Giza’, a perception piece that displayed a floating pyramid tip when looked at from a certain angle. ‘Here I Have Returned’, the work of Egyptian artist Sherin Guirguis was a tribute to Egyptian women and how they have contributed to Egyptian culture. The shape of the sculpture was inspired by the sistrum, a sacred instrument used in ancient Egypt. All the works were inspiring and intriguing in their own right and all seemed to play with perception in the way we look at the past, present and future. The exhibition was overall well regarded and celebrated by many.
Image Credit of Art D'Égypte - Sherin Guirguis's Here I Have Returned
Although the Forever is Now exhibition has ended, Egypt’s contemporary scene is not going anywhere. We look forward to what Art D'Égypte has in store for their next exhibition and how they could possibly top this one. Their previous exhibitions are always worth revisiting, such as the first ‘Enteral Light: Something Old, Something New’ held back in 2017 at the Egyptian Museum and ‘Nothing Vanishes, Everything Transforms’ from 2018. Nadine A. Ghaffar herself also organised a series of temporary exhibits in the weeks leading up the Forever is Now.
Image Credit of Art D'Égypte - Alexander Ponomarev's Ouroboros
Although the Forever is Now exhibition has ended, Egypt’s contemporary scene is not going anywhere. We look forward to what Art D'Égypte has in store for their next exhibition and how they could possibly top this one. Their previous exhibitions are always worth revisiting, such as the first ‘Enteral Light: Something Old, Something New’ held back in 2017 at the Egyptian Museum and ‘Nothing Vanishes, Everything Transforms’ from 2018. Nadine A. Ghaffar herself also organised a series of temporary exhibits in the weeks leading up the Forever is Now.
We suspect a lot more noise in the coming years from Egypt in contemporary art as there are already many well established Egyptian artists paving the way. For example, the Egyptian artist Ibrahim El-Dessouki will be displaying his work in the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, Saudi Arabia’s first contemporary art exhibit, from December 2021 to March 2022. Egypt’s first Contemporary Art Salon also opened in Cairo on November 3rd, giving a platform to showcase new artists and the artistic movement.