Forever Is Now .03

This publication coincides with the exhibition Forever Is Now .03, on view from 26 October 2023, at the Pyramids of Giza, Cairo, Egypt.

Curator Nadine A. Ghaffar Art D'Égypte / Culturvator Sara Saad Hanya Elghamry Laila Mansi Heidi Nasser Salma Al Khalidi Alaa Elsayegh Salma al Ashmawy Ghada Gad Hend Tarrad Shahd Osman

Amira Mostafa Ayoub Saeed Mahmoud Abdel Kader Nirvana Gouda Hossam Bahaa

Book Design Jorell Legaspi Copyeditor Nevine Henein Project Manager Nadine A. Ghaffar

Printed in Egypt by our printing partner:

Cover image: M. Fares – Alchemy Studios www.saharaprinting.com info@saharaprinting.com

©2023 Art D’Égypte, Cairo, Egypt.

Office 210, 2nd Floor, portal (A) building, Sodic, Beverly Hills, Giza +20237900115 / +201224706339 www.artdegypte.org

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without permission.

Unless otherwise specified, all images are © the artists, reproduced with the kind permission of the artists and/ or their representatives.

Every effort has been made to contact copyright holders and to ensure that all the information presented is correct. Some of the facts in this volume may be subject to debate or dispute. If proper copyright acknowledgment has not been made, or for clarifications and corrections, please contact the publishers and we will correct the information in future reprintings, if any.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

CONTENTS 6

CURATORIAL STATEMENT

11

THE ARTISTS & ARTWORKS

65

PARALLEL PROJECT

71

WRITINGS ON ART & HISTORY

116

CONTRIBUTORS

118

HONORARY CURATING BOARD

118

STEERING COMMITTEE

119

HONORARY ADVISORY BOARD

121

PATRONS

126

INSTITUTIONAL PATRONS

128

EDUCATION PARTNER

129

GALLERY CIRCLE

130

SPONSORS

136

ART D'ÉGYPTE

143

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

151

ARTISTS’ ACCOMPLISHMENTS ART D’ÉGYPTE

Photo: Dave Ang on Pexels

FOREVER IS NOW .03

CURATORIAL STATEMENT

FOREVER IS NOW .03: THE FUTURE IS OURS Nadine Abdel Ghaffar

Forever Is Now is a contemporary art exhibition that brings together artists from throughout the region and the world to contemplate the wonder of an ancient civilisation through the lens created by their present-day interests, concerns, and passions. Located at the 4500-year-old UNESCO world heritage site, the Pyramids of Giza and the surrounding plateau, the exhibition seeks to question the new era of technology and cultural change by juxtaposing treasured cultural heritage with the rich diversity of contemporary art practice. It is designed to trace the continuity of themes that stretch from the storied past to the present day - as well as to hope and dream about the future of humanity.

6

Egyptians are blessed with a great legacy. Until this very day, archaeologists continue to unravel the secrets of their ancestors through the invaluable artefacts and monuments that have survived. The recent discovery of a new nine-meter-long secret corridor close to the main entrance of the Pyramid of Khufu is a case in point and has sparked speculation of further findings at this last of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Nevertheless, the journey to understanding the mysteriousness of ancient Egyptian history is complex and arduous, combining both intricate details and the powerful energy that emanates from the ancient artefacts and architecture. Modern and contemporary artists seek to do justice and pay tribute to this rich and unique cultural heritage with its unparalleled range of inspirational themes and topics, FOREVER IS NOW .03

exploring everything from profound philosophical ideas and the relationship between humans and nature to the playful use of colour, the geometric genius of the site, and the timeless endurance of murals and sculpture, to name but a few.

The third edition of Forever is Now reflects on land and history, ecology and humanity by situating contemporary artworks at the magnificent site of the Pyramids of Giza. Through an immersive experience of public art, the exhibition highlights the attempts to translate the many layers of ancient Egypt into a contemporary language, featuring works by local and international artists that narrate our rapidly changing world.

The audience is invited to explore the power of perspective in a world beyond truth. By bringing together this broad collection of artworks, visitors are invited to experience contemporary art in a new and accessible way through conversation and creativity. They are asked to interact, as the playfulness of the works is activated by the encounter of the individual and their decision to engage their intellect and curiosity.

The overarching vision behind this annual exhibition is to build a culture of interconnectivity and care, one where hope for the future can be found. Bringing together people from around the world, the exhibition includes cross-cultural exchange with local communities, encouraging a high level of engagement with different publics, not just visitors but also craftspeople, students, and labourers, thus providing new ways of accessing contemporary art for the uninitiated.

Forever Is Now.03 is an ode to the enchantment of ancient Egypt’s cultural heritage while the contemporary installations are a testament to the continual evolution of art. Taking place during a tumultuous time that sees our present disturbed in myriad ways, the exhibition is an homage to the continuum of our civilisation and our relentless pursuit of life. Hope and faith are anchored within our knowledge of the past and in the unwavering belief that there is no conception of the future without history. We look at the narrative of past achievements to find inspiration for successive generations. Forever is Now.03 is not simply a revival of this history, however, for the past can never be complete in the present. Rather, it is a contribution to a contemporary artistic legacy in a place of worldwide historical significance.

ART D’ÉGYPTE

7

‫تتنــاول النســخة الثالثــة من "األبد هو اآلن" األرض‪ ،‬والتاريخ‪ ،‬والبيئة‪ ،‬واإلنســانية‪ ،‬من‬ ‫خــال وضــع األعمال الفنيــة المعاصرة في الموقع المهيــب ألهرامات الجيزة‪.‬‬ ‫ويســلط المعــرض الضــوء‪ ،‬من خالل تجربة غامرة لعــرض الفنون في األماكن‬ ‫العامــة‪ ،‬علــى محاوالت ترجمة الطبقــات العديدة لحضارة مصــر القديمة إلى لغة‬ ‫معاصــرة‪ ،‬كما يضــم المعرض أعمــا ًلا لفنانين محلييــن وعالميين تروي قصصا‬ ‫عــن عالمنا ســريع التغير‪ ،‬والجمهور مدعو الستكشــاف قــوة المنظور في عالم‬ ‫معا‪ ،‬تتم‬ ‫يتجــاوز الحقيقــة‪ .‬وبعرض هذه المجموعــة الكبيرة من األعمــال الفنية ً‬ ‫دعــوة الــزوار للتعــرف على تجربة الفــن المعاصر بطريقة جديدة‪ ،‬يتــم الوصول إليها‬ ‫مــن خــال النقاش واالبتكار‪ .‬والزائــر مطلوب منه التفاعل مــع األعمال‪ ،‬حيث يتم‬ ‫تنشــيط خصائصهــا المرحــة فقط ُأثناء المواجهة مع األفــراد‪ ،‬حيث يتخذوا قرار‬ ‫إشــراك عقلهم وفضولهــم في التجربة‪.‬‬ ‫تتمثــل الرؤيــة الشــاملة لهذا المعرض الســنوي في بناء ثقافة الترابــط والرعاية‪ ،‬التي‬ ‫يمكــن العثــور على األمل في المســتقبل من خاللها‪ .‬يجمــع المعرض بين أناس‬ ‫مــن جميــع أنحــاء العالم‪ ،‬ويتضمن في نفــس الوقت تباد ًلا ثقافيًا مــع المجتمعات‬ ‫عال من المشــاركة مع جماهير‬ ‫المحلية‪ ،‬مما يشــجع على وجود مســتوى‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫مختلفــة‪ ،‬ليس الزوار فحســب‪ ،‬ولكــن الحرفيين والطالب والعمــال أيضا‪ ،‬وبالتالي‪،‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫طرقــا جديدة للتعامل مــع الفن المعاصر لغيــر العاملين به‪.‬‬ ‫يوفــر‬ ‫"األبــد هــو اآلن ‪ ،"3‬هو قصيدة عن ســحر التراث الثقافي المصــري القديم‪ ،‬وتعتبر‬ ‫التركيبــات المعاصرة (االنستليشــن) شــهادة على التطور المســتمر للفن‪ .‬يقام‬ ‫ً‬ ‫مشوشــا بطــرق ال تعد وال تحصى‪،‬‬ ‫المعــرض فــي وقت مضطرب‪ ،‬يبدو فيه حاضرنا‬ ‫تكريما الســتمرارية حضارتنا‪ ،‬وســعينا الــدؤوب للحياة‪ .‬يرتكز‬ ‫فيمثــل المعرض‬ ‫ً‬ ‫األمــل واإليمــان على معرفتنا بالماضــي‪ ،‬وعلى القناعة الراســخة بأنه ال يوجد تصور‬ ‫للمســتقبل بــدون تاريخ‪ ،‬ونحن بذلك ننظر إلى ســردية​​اإلنجــازات الماضية إليجاد‬ ‫اإللهــام لألجيــال المتعاقبــة‪" .‬األبد هو اآلن ‪ ،"3‬ليس مجرد إحيــاء لهذا التاريخ‪،‬‬ ‫فالماضــي ال يمكــن أن يكــون كام ً‬ ‫ال في الحاضر‪ ،‬بل هو مســاهمة في إرث فني‬ ‫معاصــر في مكان له أهميــة تاريخية عالمية‪.‬‬

‫‪8‬‬

‫‪FOREVER IS NOW .03‬‬

‫كلمة منســقة المعرض‬

‫الـــأبد هو الــآن ‪:3‬‬ ‫المســتقبل لنا‬ ‫ناديــــن عبد الغفــار‬

‫"األبــد هــو اآلن"‪ ،‬عبارة عن معرض فن معاصــر يجمع بين فنانين مــن المنطقة‬ ‫للتأمل في عجائب حضارة قديمة من خالل العدســة التــي ابتكرتها‬ ‫ومــن العالــم‪،‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫اهتماماتهــم ومخاوفهــم وشــغفهم في وقتنا الحاضــر‪ .‬يقام المعرض في‬ ‫منطقــة أهرامــات الجيزة والهضبــة المحيطة بها‪ ،‬وهو موقــع التراث العالمي‬ ‫لليونســكو الــذي يعــود وجوده إلى ‪ 4500‬عام‪ .‬يطرح المعرض تســاؤال عن المرحلة‬ ‫الجديــدة مــن التكنولوجيــا والتغييــر الثقافي التي يمر بها العالــم‪ ،‬من خالل الجمع‬ ‫ص ّمم‬ ‫بيــن هــذا التــراث الثقافي‪ ،‬وبين التنوع الغني لممارســات الفــن المعاصر‪ .‬لقد ُ‬ ‫المعــرض لتتبع اســتمرارية الموضوعــات التي تمتد من أســاطير الماضي إلى الحاضر‪،‬‬ ‫باإلضافة إلى األمل والحلم بمســتقبل اإلنســانية‪.‬‬ ‫ينعــم المصريــون‪ ،‬حتى يومنــا هذا‪ ،‬بإرث عظيم‪ ،‬حيث يواصل علماء اآلثار كشــف‬ ‫أســرار أســافهم من خالل القطــع الفنية األثرية واآلثار الناجية التــي ال تقدر بثمن‪.‬‬ ‫ويعد االكتشــاف األخير لممر ســري يبلغ طوله تســعة أمتار بالقرب من المدخل‬ ‫الرئيســي لهــرم خوفو مثــا ً‬ ‫ال على ذلك‪ ،‬وقد أثار تكهنات بشــأن المزيد من‬ ‫االكتشــافات فــي هذا الموقع‪ ،‬الــذي يعتبر آخر عجائب الدنيا الســبع في العالم‬ ‫القديــم‪ .‬ومــع ذلك‪ ،‬فإن الرحلــة لفهم غموض التاريخ المصــري القديم معقدة‬ ‫‪9‬‬

‫ومضنيــة‪ ،‬حيــث تجمــع بين التفاصيل المتشــابكة‪ ،‬والطاقة القويــة التي تنبعث‬ ‫مــن القطــع األثرية القديمة‪ ،‬والطــرز المعمارية‪ .‬يســعى الفنانون المعاصرون‬ ‫والحديثــون إلــى إقرار العدالة‪ ،‬واإلشــادة بهذا التراث الثقافــي الغني والفريد‬ ‫مــن نوعــه‪ ،‬والذي يضم مدى ال مثيــل له من الموضوعات والتيمــات الملهمة‪،‬‬ ‫واستكشــاف كل المجــاالت‪ ،‬بدءا من األفــكار الفلســفية العميقة والعالقة‬ ‫وانتهاء باالســتخدام المرح لأللوان‪ ،‬والهندســة العبقرية‪،‬‬ ‫بيــن البشــر والطبيعة‪،‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫والجداريــات والمنحوتــات الباقية لنا بعد آالف الســنين‪ ،‬وذلك على ســبيل المثال‬ ‫ال الحصر‪.‬‬ ‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

Photo: Diego F. Parra on Pexels

10

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫ف ن �ن‬ THE‫ال��ا ون‬ ARTISTS ‫و‬ & ‫فن ة‬ ARTWORKS ��‫ال�� ي‬ 11

ART D’ÉGYPTE

ARNE QUINZE LUPINE AURORA Aluminium 500 x 500 cm 2023

Arne Quinze provides an alternative view of the Pyramids of Giza by exhibiting a circular lupine sculpture, an art piece in line with his oeuvre in which the dynamics between the strength and fragility of nature are explored. This work of art refers to the ancient and rich Egyptian culture in which the sun always played a significant role. The sun, seen as the basic element for all life, is addressed in this work through a circular sculpted outline.

A circle with the analogy to the recurring cycle of day to night, as well as the relationship between the planets and the sun within our solar system. In addition, the geographical placement of the artwork provides a view into an isolated vista of one of the pyramids. This in itself is a reference to the often-invisible axis lines with a cosmic amplitude that we frequently rediscover at large-scale archaeological sites. When the viewer occupies an exact position looking toward the pyramid with the Lupine artwork in between, an incised image will emerge that evokes an examination of these unique architectural masterpieces that are the Pyramids of Giza.

12

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫آرنيه كوينز‬ ‫بوابة النور‬ ‫الومنيوم‬ ‫‪ 500 × 500‬سم‬ ‫‪2023‬‬

‫يقــدم آرنيــه كوينــز وجهة نظــر بديلة ألهرامــات الجيزة من خالل عرض‬ ‫منحوتــة بوابــة النور‪ ،‬وهــي قطعة فنيــة تتماهى مع باقــي أعماله التي‬ ‫يستكشــف فيهــا الديناميكيــات بين قوة الطبيعة وهشاشــتها‪ .‬يشــير‬ ‫هــذا العمــل الفنــي إلى الثقافــة المصريــة القديمة والغنيــة التي لعبت‬ ‫مهمــا‪ .‬ويتناول العمل الشــمس‪ ،‬كونها‬ ‫دائما دو رًا‬ ‫فيهــا الشــمس‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫العنصــر األساســي لكل أشــكال الحياة‪ ،‬من خالل إطــار دائري منحوت‪.‬‬ ‫تتشــابه الدائــرة مــع دورة النهار والليــل المتكررة‪ ،‬كما تجســد العالقة‬ ‫بيــن الكواكب والشــمس داخل نظامنــا الشمســي‪ .‬يتيح الموقع‬ ‫الجغرافــي للعمــل الفنــي إطاللــة على مشــهد منعزل ألحد األهرامات‪،‬‬ ‫ممــا يعتبــر في حد ذاته إشــارة إلى خطــوط المحور التــي غالبًا ما تكون‬ ‫غيــر مرئيــة وذات ســعة كونية والتي كثيـ ًرا ما نعيد اكتشــافها في‬ ‫المواقــع األثريــة الكبيــرة‪ .‬عندما يتخذ المشــاهد مكانا محددً ا يشــاهد‬ ‫منــه الهــرم وتظهــر منحوتة بوابة النــور الفنية بينــه وبين الهرم‪،‬‬ ‫تفحصا لألهرامــات‪ ،‬تلك التحف‬ ‫ســنرى صــورة محفورة تســتدعي‬ ‫ً‬ ‫المعماريــة الفريدة‪.‬‬

‫‪13‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

ARNE QUINZE LUPINE AURORA

Photo: MO4 Network

14

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫آرنيه كوينز‬ ‫بوابة النور‬

‫‪15‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

Arne Quinze is a Belgian contemporary artist, painter, and sculptor. His work ranges from captivating abstract paintings in oil to massive metal installations in public spaces around the world. Through his work, he aims to encourage conversation between spectators, and ultimately, inspire them to reconnect with their earthly roots by showing nature’s divine beauty. The inspiration from Quinze’s work originates from the artist’s wildflower field in the garden of his atelier, where he can study the architectural growth of thousands of plants and flowers throughout the changing seasons of the year. Each of Quinze’s pieces depicts the strength and, at the same time, the fragility of his wildflower garden. He portrays the beauty that exists in nature’s diversity, and hopes, in this way, to inspire viewers to live in harmony with the earth and all her treasures.

16

Quinze’s new narrative unveils a world where earth once thrived as the true Garden of Eden, beautifully balanced in every aspect. However, an unprecedented meteor, originating from space, crashed into the Earth, bringing with it alien DNA that would later develop into humanity as we know it today. This alien genetic code disrupted the delicate equilibrium by taking without reciprocating, causing an unsettling imbalance in the system.

Within this narrative, Quinze assumes the persona of an alien and invites his spectators to reflect on their relationship with nature. He makes it his mission to restore the balance on earth by showcasing the beauty of the natural realm within his work.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫آرنيــه كوينــز فنان ورســام ونحــات بلجيكي معاصــر‪ .‬تتنوع أعماله مــا بين اللوحات‬ ‫الزيتيــة التجريديــة الخالبــة‪ ،‬وبيــن التركيبــات المعدنيــة الضخمة في األماكن‬ ‫العامــة حــول العالــم‪ .‬يهدف من خــال عمله إلى تشــجيع الحوار بيــن المتفرجين‪،‬‬ ‫والهامهــم فــي نهايــة المطاف إلعادة االتصــال بجذورهم من خــال بيئتهم‬ ‫الطبيعيــة وإظهــار جمالهــا اإللهــي‪ .‬ينبــع اإللهام في أعمــال كوينز من حقل‬ ‫الزهــور البريــة الموجــودة فــي حديقة األتيلييــه الخاص به‪ ،‬حيث يتمكن من دراســة‬ ‫النمــو البنيــوي آلالف النباتــات والزهور طوال فصول الســنة‪ .‬تصــف كل قطعة‬ ‫مــن قطــع كوينز قوة وهشاشــة حديقة زهــوره البرية في نفــس الوقت‪ ،‬فهو‬ ‫يصــور الجمــال الموجــود فــي تنوع الطبيعــة ويأمل أن يتمكــن بذلك من إلهام‬ ‫المشــاهدين للعيــش بتناغــم مع األرض وكنوزها‪.‬‬ ‫يوما‬ ‫تكشــف الســردية الجديــدة لكوينــز النقاب عن عالم ازدهــرت فيه األرض‬ ‫ً‬ ‫مــا باعتبارهــا جنــة عدن الحقيقيــة‪ ،‬متوازنة بشــكل جميل على كل المســتويات‪.‬‬ ‫ولكــن‪ ،‬اصطــدم بها نيزك غير مســبوق نشــأ فــي الفضاء‪ ،‬حامـ ً‬ ‫ا معه حمض نووي‬ ‫ً‬ ‫الحقا إلى البشــرية كمــا نعرفها اليوم‪ .‬عطلت هذه الشــفرة‬ ‫مغايــر والــذي تطــور‬ ‫الجينيــة المغايــرة التــوازن الدقيــق لألرض كونها تأخــذ دون الرد بالمثل‪ ،‬مما تســبب‬ ‫فــي خلــل مقلق فــي النظام‪ .‬يفتــرض كوينز‪ ،‬ضمن هذه الســردية‪ ،‬إن هناك‬ ‫شــخصية مغايــرة (دخيلــة)‪ ،‬ويدعو مشــاهديه للتفكير فــي عالقتهــم بالطبيعة‪،‬‬ ‫جاعــا مهمته اســتعادة التــوازن على األرض من خالل عــرض جمال العالم‬ ‫الطبيعــي في أعماله‪.‬‬

‫‪17‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

ARTUR LESCHER OBSERVATORY META OIKO Project design: Pedro Fentanes Sheets of metal 350 x 320 x 380 cm 2023

Observatory Meta Oiko is conceived as a participatory piece made as an observation instrument for the visitor. The key idea here is to invert the scales to look at the magnificent panorama of the pyramids from a different point of view and also to consider the human scale from a new framework, using the interior of the pyramids as a reference. The work is an installation sculpture made of metal that demonstrates the great expertise of the artist.

With special thanks to Studio AL team, Galeria Nara Roesler, Arlindo Raggio Vergaças, Mariane Marie Klettenhofer, the Art Homage team, and Mauro Amorim's team.

18

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫آرتور ليشر‬ ‫مرصــد "ميتا أويكو"‬ ‫تصميــم المشــروع‪ :‬بيدرو فنتانس‬ ‫صفائح معدنية‬ ‫‪ 380 × 320 × 350‬ســم‬ ‫‪2023‬‬

‫يُنظــر إلــى المرصد على أنــه قطعة تشــاركية مصنوعة كأداة‬ ‫متابعــة للــزوار‪ .‬تقلــب الفكرة الرئيســية هنــا‪ ،‬مقاييس رؤيــة بانوراما األهرامات‬ ‫الرائعــة إلــى وجهة نظــر مختلفة‪ ،‬كمــا تتأمل المقياس البشــري في‬ ‫إطــار جديد‪ ،‬باســتخدام الجزء الداخلــي لألهرامــات كمصدر‪/‬كدليل‪/‬معيار‪.‬‬ ‫العمــل عبــارة عــن منحوتــة تركيبية مصنوعــة من المعدن والتي تســتعرض‬ ‫الخبــرة الكبيــرة للفنان‪.‬‬

‫يتقــدم ويتقــدم الفنان بشــكر خاص لفريق عمل ســتوديو "أيــه إيل"‪ ،‬جاليري‬ ‫نــارا روزلــر‪ ،‬أرليندو راجيو فيرجاســاس‪ ،‬ماريان مــاري كليتنهوفــر‪ ،‬فريق عمل‬ ‫"أرت هومــاج"‪ ،‬وفريــق عمل ماورو أموريم‪.‬‬

‫‪19‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

ARTUR LESCHER OBSERVATORY META OIKO

Photo: MO4 Network

20

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫آرتور ليشر‬ ‫مرصــد "ميتا أويكو"‬

‫‪21‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

22

Artur Lescher lives and works in Brazil where he stands out in the contemporary art scene with his three-dimensional works that transcend their sculptural character, crossbreeding the boundaries of installations and objects to modify the understanding of these categories and the space in which they insert themselves. The fundamental elements of his discourse as an artist rely on the particular, uninterrupted and precise dialogue with both architecture and design and on his choice of materials which includes everything from metal, stone and wood to felt, salts, brass and copper. Lescher’s work is strongly linked to industrial processes and achieves extreme levels of refinement and rigour, but his production does not consider form the only purpose; rather, it goes beyond it. By juxtaposing solid geometrical structures and materials with material characterised by impermanence or changeability, such as water, olive oil, and salt, Lescher emphasises imponderability. As the critic and curator Agnaldo Farias remarked in relation to Lescher’s pieces, they convey a ‘restlessness’ and ‘oppose an exact, clean appearance’, transmitting ‘a sense of inquietude, as if we, the spectators, were in the imminence of watching the irruption of something, (…) which could transform into violence, into the clashing of materials, in the deformation of a body, the traces of an action that is already finished.’ This contradiction opens space for myth and imagination, essential elements for the construction process.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫أرتــور ليشــر يعيــش ويعمل فــي البرازيل حيث يبرز في المشــهد الفنــي المعاصر‬ ‫بأعمالــه ثالثيــة األبعــاد التي تتجــاوز طابعها النحتــي‪ ،‬وتتخطى حــدود التركيبات‬ ‫الفنيــة (االنستليشــن) والتجهيــزات المهجنــة‪ ،‬لتصحيح فهــم هذه الفئات‬ ‫والمســاحات التــي يتــم عرضها فيهــا‪ .‬تعتمد العناصــر األساســية لخطابه كفنان‬ ‫علــى الحــوار الخــاص والمتواصل والدقيق مــع كل من الهندســة المعمارية‬ ‫والتصميــم‪ ،‬وعلــى اختياره للمواد التي تشــمل كل شــيء مــن المعادن والحجارة‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ارتباطا‬ ‫والخشــب إلــى اللباد واألمــاح والنحاس األصفر واألحمــر‪ .‬يرتبط عمل ليشــر‬ ‫ً‬ ‫وثيقــا بالعمليــات الصناعيــة ويحقــق مســتويات عالية من الصقــل والدقة‪ ،‬لكن‬ ‫إنتاجــه ال يعتبــر الشــكل هــو الهدف الوحيد‪ ،‬بــل يتجاوز ذلك‪ .‬يؤكد ليشــر هنا‬ ‫علــى عــدم القابليــة للقياس بوضعــه الهياكل الهندســية الصلبــة جنبًا إلى جنب‬ ‫مــع المــواد التــي تتميز بعدم الثبــات أو بالتغييــر‪ ،‬مثل الماء وزيــت الزيتون والملح‪.‬‬ ‫وقــد علــق الناقــد وأمين المعــرض أجنالدو فارياس علــى أعمال ليشــر‪ ،‬بإنها تنقل‬ ‫"القلــق" و"تعــارض المظهــر الدقيــق والنظيف‪ ،‬وتنقل شــعو رًا بالســكينة‪ ،‬كما لو‬ ‫كنــا نحــن المتفرجين‪ ،‬على وشــك مشــاهدة انفجار شــيء ما‪ )...( ،‬قــد يتحول إلى‬ ‫عنــف‪ ،‬إلى اصطدام المواد‪ ،‬إلى تشــوه الجســم‪ ،‬إلى آثــار فعل قد انتهى مســبقا‪.‬‬ ‫هــذا التناقــض يفتــح المجال أمام األســطورة والخيال‪ ،‬وهما عنصران أساســيان‬ ‫فــي عملية البناء‪.‬‬

‫‪23‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

AZZA AL QUBAISI TREASURES Metal concrete 500 x 500 x 200 cm (approx.)

2022 & 2023

‘Treasures to me is a piece that represents a journey that effortlessly captures the mysteries, shapes, patterns, and textures of the desert landscape together with the cultural memories, stories, and motifs from the past. The work uses materials that reflect the surrounding nature through earthy colours inspired by the deep roots of our heritage. It allows viewers to become immersed in the experience of walking between the artwork and the lines of the sand dunes to reach the pyramid while seeing their reflection like an inner journey into their own life. The treasure hidden in the earth represents the personal goals hidden deep inside us.’

24

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫عزة القبيسي‬ ‫كنوز‬ ‫الخرســانة المعدنية‬ ‫‪ 200 × 500 × 500‬ســم (تقريبًا)‬ ‫‪ 2022‬و‪2023‬‬

‫"تمثــل "الكنوز" بالنســبة لي رحلة تلتقط بســهولة أســرار وأشــكال وأنماط‬ ‫وتضاريــس المناظــر الطبيعيــة الصحراويــة جنبًا إلــى جنب مع الذكريــات الثقافية‬ ‫والقصــص والزخــارف مــن الماضي‪ .‬يســتخدم العمل مواد تعكــس الطبيعة‬ ‫المحيطــة مــن خالل األلــوان الترابية المســتلهمة من الجــذور العميقــة لتراثنا‪ .‬فهو‬ ‫يســمح للمشــاهدين باالنغمــاس فــي تجربة المشــي بين العمــل الفني وخطوط‬ ‫الكثبــان الرمليــة للوصــول إلــى الهرم بينما يشــاهدون انعكاســهم وكأنه رحلة‬ ‫داخليــة فــي حياتهــم الخاصــة‪ .‬ويمثل الكنــز المخفي في األرض األهداف‬ ‫الشــخصية المخبأة فــي أعماقنا‪".‬‬

‫‪25‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

AZZA AL QUBAISI TREASURES

Photo: MO4 Network

26

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫عزة القبيسي‬ ‫كنوز‬

‫‪27‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

Azza Al Qubaisi is a renowned Emirati jewellery artist, designer, and sculptor. A fervent advocate of all things locally produced and sustainable, she uses materials that where part of the fabric of life before the development of the UAE to create works that explore the evolving traditions, culture, and identity of the Emirates. She received her BA in jewellery design from London Guildhall University and her MA in culture and creative industry from HCT. She enjoys experimenting with many materials such as metal and palm. Her work has been published in numerous books and exhibited at art fairs in individual and collective exhibitions in different cities around the world such as in Helsinki, London, Milan, Berlin, and Brussels. She has also received several awards including the British Council Young Cultural Entrepreneur award and the Emirates Woman Award.

28

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫عــزة القبيســي فنانــة ومصممــة مجوهرات ونحاتــة إماراتية معروفــة‪ .‬تناصر بقوة‬ ‫جزءا من نســيج‬ ‫كل المنتجــات المحليــة المســتدامة‪ ،‬وتســتخدم المــواد التي كانت‬ ‫ً‬ ‫الحيــاة‪ ،‬قبــل تطور دولة اإلمــارات العربية المتحــدة‪ ،‬البتكار أعماال تستكشــف‬ ‫التقاليــد المتجــددة والثقافــة والهوية لإلمــارات‪ .‬حصلت على درجــة البكالوريوس‬ ‫فــي تصميــم المجوهرات مــن جامعة لنــدن جيلدهول‪ ،‬ودرجة الماجســتير في‬ ‫الثقافــة والصناعــة اإلبداعيــة مــن الكليــة التقنية العليــا‪ .‬تســتمتع بتجربة العديد‬ ‫مــن المــواد مثل المعــادن والنخيل‪ُ .‬نشــرت أعمالها في العديــد من الكتب‪،‬‬ ‫وعُ رضــت فــي معارض فنيــة فردية وجماعية فــي مدن مختلفــة حول العالم‬ ‫مثــل هلســنكي ولنــدن وميالنو وبرلين وبروكســل‪ .‬كما حصلــت على العديد‬ ‫مــن الجوائــز بما في ذلك جائــزة المجلــس الثقافي البريطانــي لرائدات األعمال‬ ‫الثقافية الشــابة وجائــزة المرأة اإلماراتية‪.‬‬

‫‪29‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

CAROLE A. FEUERMAN EGYPTIAN WOMAN IN THE FORM OF THE GODDESS HATHOR Patinated bronze 300 x 100 x 100 cm 2023

'I created the sculpture In The Form of The Goddess Hathor out of my deep passion for the profound concept she embodies. This artwork represents my personal interpretation of Hathor, portrayed as a contemporary woman who encapsulates the essence of the goddess.

While the similarities between my sculpture and the goddess may not be immediately apparent, the resonance I feel with Hathor is strong.

My artistic reputation lies in exhibiting realistic sculptures of women that celebrate their innate beauty and well-being. In these sculptures, I strive to capture the graceful fluidity reminiscent of water, just as Hathor is also associated with water and fertility. The inclusion of caps in my sculptures and the headpiece worn by Hathor further strengthen the visual connection between the two.

Hathor held immense significance in Egyptian mythology, revered as the deity embodying the sky, women, fertility, love, beauty, music, joy, and motherhood. As the acclaimed ‘Doyenne of Hyperrealism’, or the mother of Hyperrealism, I sought to pay homage to Hathor through this sculpture.

30

I specifically created In The Form of The Goddess Hathor for Forever Is Now.03. Hathor’s passionate adoration and worship date back to the 3rd millennium BC in Egypt, establishing her as one of the oldest and most revered goddesses in ancient Egyptian religion. It is my sincere hope that my sculpture will be cherished and seen as a symbol of womanhood and an embodiment of its positive qualities.'

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫كارول أ‪ .‬فيورمان‬ ‫امرأة مصرية في‬ ‫هيئــة اإللهة حتحور‬ ‫برونز مزنجر‬ ‫‪ 100×100×300‬سم‬ ‫‪2023‬‬

‫" لقــد صنعــت (امرأة مصريــة في هيئة اإللهــة حتحور) من منطلق شــغفي‬ ‫بالمفهــوم العميــق الــذي تجســده‪ .‬يمثل هذا العمل الفني تفســيري الشــخصي‬ ‫لحتحــور‪ ،‬حيــث تــم تصويرهــا على أنها امــرأة معاصرة تلخــص جوهر اإللهة‪ .‬في‬ ‫حيــن أن أوجــه التشــابه بين نحتــي واإللهة قد ال تكون واضحــة على الفور‪ ،‬إال‬ ‫أن الصــدى الذي أشــعر به مــع حتحور قوي‪ .‬ســمعتي الفنيــة تكمن في عرض‬ ‫منحوتــات واقعيــة لنســاء تحتفي بجمالهــن الفطــري ورفاهيتهن‪ .‬في هذه‬ ‫تماما كما‬ ‫المنحوتــات‪ ،‬أســعى جاهــدة لتمثيل االنســيابية التــي تذكرنا بالميــاه‪،‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ترتبــط حتحــور ً‬ ‫أيضــا بالميــاه والخصوبة‪ .‬إن إضافــة اغطية الرأس فــي منحوتاتي‬ ‫وخاصــة غطــاء الرأس الــذي ترتديه حتحور يزيد مــن تعزيز االتصــال البصري بين‬ ‫االثنين‪.‬‬ ‫كان لحتحــور أهميــة كبيــرة في األســاطير المصرية‪ ،‬حيث تــم تبجيلهــا باعتبارها‬ ‫اإللــه الذي يجســد الســماء والمرأة والخصوبــة والحب والجمال والموســيقى‬ ‫والفــرح واألمومــة‪ .‬باعتباري "عميــدة الواقعية المفرطة" المشــهورة‪ ،‬أو أم‬ ‫الواقعيــة المفرطــة‪ ،‬ســعيت إلى تكريــم حتحور من خالل هــذا التمثال‪.‬‬ ‫خصيصا للنســخة الثالثة مــن معرض األبد هو اآلن‪.‬‬ ‫لقــد ابتكــرت هــذه القطعــة‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ويعــود تاريــخ عبــادة حتحــور إلى األلفيــة الثالثة قبل الميــاد في مصر‪ ،‬ممــا يجعلها‬ ‫احتراما فــي الديانة المصريــة القديمة‪ .‬وآمل‬ ‫واحــدة مــن أقدم اآللهــة وأكثرها‬ ‫ً‬ ‫‪31‬‬

‫ً‬ ‫صادقــا أن يتــم االعتزاز بهــذه القطعة واعتبارها رمـ ًزا لألنوثة وتجســيدً ا لصفات‬ ‫حتحــور اإليجابية‪".‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

CAROLE A. FEUERMAN EGYPTIAN WOMAN IN THE FORM OF THE GODDESS HATHOR

Photo: Walaa Al Shaer

32

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫كارول أ‪ .‬فيورمان‬ ‫امرأة مصرية في‬ ‫هيئــة اإللهة حتحور‬

‫‪33‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

34

Carole A. Feuerman is an American sculptor and author working in hyperrealism. She is one of the three artists credited with starting the movement in the late 1970s. Feuerman is known for her figurative works of swimmers and dancers and is the only artist to make this type of life-like outdoor sculpture as well as the only woman to sculpt in this style. Her work has been included in exhibitions across the globe, from Central Park to Avenue George V, and from the Smithsonian Institution and the Park Avenue Divide in New York City to the Galleria d'Arte Moderna, the Palazzo Reale in Milan, and the Foundation ‘Made in Cloister’ in Italy. Her work is in the collections of 31 museums and owned by the cities of Peekskill, New York and Sunnyvale, California, as well as by former president Clinton; the Frederick R. Weisman Foundation; Mr. Steven Cohen; Colombian singer Maluma; Alexandre Grendene Bartelle; and the Forbes Magazine Collection. She has taught, lectured, and given workshops at the Metropolitan Museum and the Solomon Guggenheim Museum. In 2011, she founded the Carole A. Feuerman Sculpture Foundation.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫كارول أ‪ .‬فيورمــان نحاتــة ومؤلفــة أمريكية تعمل في مجــال الواقعية المفرطة‪،‬‬ ‫وهــي واحــدة من الفنانيــن الثالثة الذين كان لهم الفضل فــي بدء الحركة في‬ ‫أواخر الســبعينيات‪ .‬تشــتهر فيورمان بأعمالهــا التصويرية المجازية للســباحين‬ ‫والراقصيــن وهــي الفنانــة الوحيدة التي صنعت هذا النوع مــن المنحوتات‬ ‫المشــابهة ألنمــاط الحياة فــي األماكن المفتوحة‪ ،‬وكذلك المــرأة الوحيدة التي‬ ‫نحتــت بهذا األســلوب‪ .‬تــم إدراج أعمالها في معارض في جميــع أنحاء العالم‪،‬‬ ‫من ســنترال بارك إلى شــارع جورج الخامس‪ ،‬ومن مؤسســة سميثســونيان وبارك‬ ‫أفينيــو ديفايــد في مدينــة نيويورك إلى جاليريــا دارت موديرنا‪ ،‬وباالزو ريالي في‬ ‫ميالنــو‪ ،‬ومؤسســة "صنع في الدير" فــي إيطاليا‪ .‬توجد أعمالهــا ضمن مجموعات‬ ‫ً‬ ‫متحفــا‪ ،‬وتمتلكها مدن بيكســكيل ونيويورك وصنيفيــل بكاليفورنيا‪،‬‬ ‫واحــد وثالثيــن‬ ‫إضافة إلى للرئيس الســابق كلينتون‪ ،‬ومؤسســة فريدريك ر‪ .‬وايزمان؛ الســيد ســتيفن‬ ‫كوهيــن؛ المغنــي الكولومبي مالوما؛ ألكســندر جرينديــن بارتيل؛ ومجموعة‬ ‫مجلــة فوربــس‪ .‬قامــت بالتدريس والقاء المحاضــرات وورش العمل في متحف‬ ‫متروبوليتان ومتحف ســولومون غوغنهايم‪ .‬في عام ‪ ،2011‬أسســت مؤسســة‬ ‫كارول أ‪ .‬فيورمــان للنحت‪.‬‬

‫‪35‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

COSTAS VAROTSOS HORIZON Steel sheet and glass 8 circle sculptures, 1.85m x 0.06m x 0.08mm each 2023 Horizon emphasises the relationship between the Nile River and the Giza Pyramids Plateau, underlining the projection that the Pyramids of Giza give to the world. This new horizon is defined by eight circles in which the world revolves. The celestial dome and the cycle of life, expressed through the geometry of the circle, are concepts identified with the geometry and history of the pyramids. The materiality of the artwork is a connection of all the natural elements of the surrounding area. For the artist, the horizon has always been a projection towards the future, towards something to come. The concept of the horizon defines space but at the same time defines an attitude towards life.

36

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫كوستاس فاروتسوس‬ ‫أفق‬ ‫صفائــح الصلب والزجاج‬ ‫‪ 8‬منحوتــات دائريــة‪ ،‬كل منهــا ‪ 1،85‬م × ‪ 0،06‬م × ‪ 0،08‬مــم‬ ‫‪2023‬‬ ‫يركــز "أفــق" علــى العالقة بيــن نهر النيــل وهضبة أهرامات الجيــزة‪ ،‬ويؤكد على‬ ‫اهميــة أهرامــات الجيــزة للعالم‪ .‬ويتحــدد هذا األفق الجديد مــن خالل ثماني‬ ‫دوائــر يــدور فيهــا العالــم‪ .‬أن القبة الســماوية ودورة الحياة التي يتــم التعبير‬ ‫عنهــا من خالل الشــكل الهندســي للدائرة‪ ،‬هــي مفاهيم مرتبطة بهندســة‬ ‫األهرامــات وتاريخهــا‪ .‬إن أهميــة العمل الفني هــي عبارة عن اتصــال بين جميع‬ ‫دائمــا بمثابة‬ ‫العناصــر الطبيعيــة للمنطقــة المحيطــة‪ .‬بالنســبة للفنــان‪ ،‬كان أفق‬ ‫ً‬ ‫تنبــؤ بالمســتقبل‪ ،‬نحــو شــيء قادم‪ ،‬يحــدد مفهوم أفق الفــراغ‪ ،‬ولكنه في نفس‬ ‫الوقــت يحدد الموقــف تجاه الحياة‪.‬‬

‫‪37‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

COSTAS VAROTSOS HORIZON

Photo: Walaa Al Shaer

38

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫كوستاس فاروتسوس‬ ‫أفق‬

‫‪39‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

40

Costas Varotsos lives and works in Greece. He studied at the School of Fine Arts in Rome and at the Architectural School of Pescara in Italy. In 1991, he received a scholarship from the Fulbright Foundation, and in 1999, was elected as a professor at the Architectural School of the Polytechnic University of Thessaloniki.

He is also a member of the Engelberg Academy in Switzerland. His art pieces are in public spaces in Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Egypt, and the USA. His main wish is that his art pieces maintain a direct connection with the natural environment in which they are displayed, always seeking a way of osmosis with the space.

He has had numerous individual and group exhibitions in Greece and abroad including the Biennale of Venice (1993, 1995 & 1999); the Biennale of São Paulo (1997); and Documenta Kassel (2017).

In 2014, he was named Cavaliere de la Republica Italiana by the President of Italy for his contribution to the Italian arts, and in 2017, he was honoured with the Medal of Commander of the Order of Merit by the President of the Greek Republic.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫كوســتاس فاروتســوس يعيش ويعمــل في اليونان‪ .‬درس في مدرســة الفنون‬ ‫الجميلــة فــي رومــا‪ ،‬وفي مدرســة بيســكارا المعمارية فــي إيطاليا‪ .‬حصل عام ‪1991‬‬ ‫علــى منحــة دراســية من مؤسســة فولبرايت‪ ،‬وأن ُتخب في عام ‪ 1999‬أسـ ً‬ ‫ـتاذا في‬ ‫كليــة الهندســة المعماريــة بجامعــة البوليتكنيك في ســالونيك‪ ،‬وهــو ً‬ ‫أيضا عضو‬ ‫فــي أكاديميــة إنجلبيــرج في سويســرا‪ .‬توجد أعمالــه الفنية فــي األماكن العامة‬ ‫فــي اليونــان وقبرص وإيطاليا وسويســرا وإســبانيا ومصر والواليــات المتحدة‬ ‫األمريكيــة‪ .‬رغبتــه الرئيســية هــي أن تحافظ قطعــه الفنية على اتصال مباشــر‬ ‫دائما إلى إيجاد وســيلة‬ ‫مــع البيئــة الطبيعيــة التي يتــم عرضها فيها‪ ،‬ويســعى‬ ‫ً‬ ‫للتناضــح مــع مســاحة العــرض‪ .‬أقام العديد مــن المعارض الفرديــة والجماعية في‬ ‫اليونــان وخارجهــا بمــا في ذلك بينالــي البندقية (‪)1999 ،1995 ،1993‬؛ بينالي ســاو‬ ‫باولــو (‪)1997‬؛ ودوكيومنتــا كاســل (‪ .)2017‬حصل في عــام ‪ 2014‬على لقب فارس‬ ‫الجمهوريــة اإليطاليــة مــن قبل رئيــس إيطاليا لمســاهمته في الفنــون اإليطالية‪،‬‬ ‫كمــا تــم تكريمــه في عــام ‪ 2017‬بميدالية القائد من وســام االســتحقاق من قبل‬ ‫رئيــس الجمهوريــة اليونانية‪.‬‬

‫‪41‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

DIONYSIOS MEDITATION ON LIGHT Acrylic, gold-plated brass leaves on cotton, wooden base.

8x4m 2023

In Meditation on Light, Greek artist Dionysios expresses his belief that the exhibition at the Pyramids is a profound experience far beyond merely achieving artistic or professional recognition. He says, ‘Seeing a part of myself in front of the Pyramids and allowing everyone to see themselves through my work is an emotional experience that leads to a transformation in life. History meets the future here, and I am already present during that moment.

My goal is to create a space and conditions that enable people to communicate with universal values, and the Giza Plateau is one of the most energetic places I have ever visited.’

42

‘As a Greek artist, I feel a close connection to my heritage, which is directly intertwined with Egyptian heritage. I wanted to create a work that transcends time frames and cultures, honoring the history of the country that hosts me, through a visual language that represents a part of contemporary Egyptian and Greek culture. My work here became much more performative than I expected; I spent the duration of the installation adding gold leaf to the artwork, only for it to be absorbed by nature the next day, creating a real sense of meditation at the site. Having the opportunity to present an artistic work destined for connection here is an incredible privilege and a surreal experience for me both as an artist and a spectator at the same time.’

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫ديونيسيوس‬ ‫تأمل في الضوء‬ ‫أوراق مــن نحــاس مطلية بالذهب على القطن‪ ،‬قاعدة خشــبة‬ ‫‪ 4 × 8‬متر‬ ‫‪2023‬‬

‫فــي القطعــة "تأمل فــي الضوء"‪ ،‬يعبر الفنــان اليوناني ديونيســيوس عن‬ ‫اعتقــاده بــأن المعرض فــي األهرامات يمثــل تجربة عميقــة تتجاوز مجرد‬ ‫تحقيــق هــدف فنــي أو مهني‪ .‬ويقول‪" :‬رؤية جزء من نفســي أمام‬ ‫األهرامــات والســماح للجميع برؤية أنفســهم مــن خالل عملي هي‬ ‫تجربــة عاطفيــة تــؤدي إلى تحول فــي الحياة"‪ .‬يلتقــي التاريخ بالمســتقبل‬ ‫هنــا‪ ،‬وأنــا حاضــر بالفعل خالل تلــك اللحظة‪ .‬هدفي هو خلق مســاحة‬ ‫وظــروف تمكــن الناس مــن التواصل مع القيــم العالميــة‪ ،‬وتعد هضبة‬ ‫الجيــزة واحــدة من أكثر األماكن نشـ ً‬ ‫ـاًطا التــي زرتها على اإلطالق‪".‬‬ ‫"باعتبــاري فنــان يوناني‪ ،‬أشــعر بارتباط وثيق بتراثي‪ ،‬الذي يتشــابك بشــكل‬ ‫مباشــر مــع التراث المصري‪ .‬كنت أرغب في إنشــاء عمــل يتجاوز األطر‬ ‫الزمنيــة والثقافــات‪ ،‬ويكــرم تاريــخ البلد الذي يســتضيفني‪ ،‬من خالل‬ ‫جزًء ا مــن الثقافــة المصرية واليونانيــة المعاصرة‪.‬‬ ‫لغــة بصريــة تمثل‬ ‫ً‬ ‫أصبــح عملــي هنا اســتعراضي أكثــر مما توقعت؛ لقــد أمضيت مدة‬ ‫العــرض فــي إضافة أوراق الذهب إلــى العمل الفنــي‪ ،‬لتمتصهــا الطبيعة‬ ‫إحساًســا حقيقًيًا بالتأمــل في الموقع‪.‬‬ ‫فــي اليــوم التالي‪ ،‬ممــا يخلق‬ ‫ً‬ ‫إن الحصــول علــى فرصــة تقديم عمــل فني تفاعلــي هنا هو فرصة ال‬ ‫تصــدق وتجربة ســريالية بالنســبة لــي كفنان ومتفرج فــي نفس الوقت‪".‬‬

‫‪43‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

DIONYSIOS MEDITATION ON LIGHT

Photo: MO4 Network

44

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫ديونيسيوس‬ ‫تأمل في الضوء‬

‫‪45‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

46

Dionysios is a Greek multidisciplinary artist based between Paris and Athens, focusing on installation, sculpture, design, and digital art.

He studied clinical psychology in Paris, before deciding to conduct his own anthropological research in the form of visual art. This gave him a very particular insight on the human psyche, which is the core of his artistic practice. Being ‘project based’, his work consists of different mediums and platforms that allow him to fully explore various disciplines. He was invited to create the official congratulatory gift sent to the White House from Greece in 2021. In 2022, he auctioned a series of limited artworks in partnership with an NGO in Central America to raise funds for accessible water in the area. The artist has also collaborated with major fashion houses during Paris Fashion Week and has created capsule collections, installations, and performances exhibited in Paris, London, Hong-Kong, and Seoul. Most recently, his collection of digital design pieces for the metaverse were exhibited at the National Archives Museum in Paris and Shanghai as part of their respective Design Weeks. He works closely with the Greek ministries of antiquities and culture to bring life to his public art installations. In recent years, his focus has shifted to larger scale works, mainly installations and sculptures, interrogating our relationship with nature, time, space, and the divine.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫ديونيســيوس هــو فنــان يوناني متعــدد التخصصات يقيــم بين باريس‬ ‫وأثينــا‪ ،‬ويركــز علــى التركيب (االنستليشــن)‪ ،‬والنحــت‪ ،‬والتصميم‪ ،‬والفن‬ ‫الرقمــي‪ .‬درس علــم النفس فــي باريس‪ ،‬قبل أن يقــرر إجراء بحثه‬ ‫األنثروبولوجــي الخــاص في شــكل الفنون البصريــة‪ .‬وقد أعطاه هذا‬ ‫نظــرة خاصة جــدً ا عن النفس البشــرية‪ ،‬والتي هي جوهر ممارســته‬ ‫الفنيــة‪ .‬وحيــث يعتمــد عمله على مشــروع متكامل‪ ،‬فهــو يتكون من‬ ‫وســائط ومنصــات مختلفة تســمح له باستكشــاف مختلــف التخصصات‬ ‫بشــكل كامــل‪ .‬تمت دعوتــه لعمل هدية التهنئة الرســمية التي ارســلت‬ ‫مــن اليونــان إلــى البيت األبيض عام ‪ .2021‬وفي عــام ‪ ،2022‬قام ببيع‬ ‫سلســلة مــن األعمــال الفنية المحــدودة بالمزاد العلني بالشــراكة مع‬ ‫منظمــة غيــر حكوميــة في أمريــكا الوســطى لجمع األموال من أجل‬ ‫توفيــر الميــاه فــي المنطقة‪ .‬تعــاون الفنان ً‬ ‫أيضا مــع دور األزياء الكبرى‬ ‫خــال أســبوع الموضة في باريس‪ ،‬وأقــام مجموعات صغيــرة‪ ،‬وتركيبات‬ ‫فــي الفــراغ (انستليشــن) عرضت في باريس‪ ،‬ولنــدن‪ ،‬وهونج كونج‪،‬‬ ‫وســيول‪ .‬في اآلونــة األخيرة‪ ،‬تم عــرض مجموعته من قطــع التصميم‬ ‫الرقمــي للميتافيــرس فــي متحف األرشــيف الوطني في باريس‬ ‫وشــنغهاي كجــزء من أســابيع التصميــم الخاصة بــكل منهما‪ ،‬ويعمل‬ ‫بشــكل وثيــق مع وزارات اآلثار والثقافــة اليونانية إلحيــاء فنه العام‬ ‫حيثمــا يعــرض‪ .‬وتحــول تركيزه في الســنوات األخيرة‪ ،‬إلــى أعمال كبيرة‬ ‫الحجــم‪ ،‬خاصــة التركيبــات والمنحوتات‪ ،‬التي تطرح أســئلة حــول عالقتنا‬ ‫بالطبيعــة‪ ،‬والزمــان‪ ،‬والمكان‪ ،‬واإلله‪.‬‬

‫‪47‬‬

‫برعاية‬ ‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

‫‪and‬‬

‫‪Sponsored by‬‬

MOHAMED BANAWY AS ABOVE, SO BELOW (DOME OF STARRY SKY) Iron, polyester, and sand 10 x 10 x 10 m 2023

The ancient Egyptian contemplated the cosmic laws and used them as the model for life on Earth, so that life would become ‘as above, as below’. It is the phrase that appeared in the emerald tablets written

by Thoth. These are keys that speak to us on the spiritual level, not from the level of the mind. The material world is an image of another world that exists in another dimension. Lesser Egypt is the Egypt that exists on earth, in which we live our experience in the material world; Higher Egypt is another version of Egypt that exists in another ethereal/astral/mystical world. The Memphite confessions of Maat are the laws of balance and harmony, the laws that rescued the universe from chaos and darkness; and they still protect it from falling again into turmoil. Just as King Djoser looked up to the stars of the sky, which do not disappear, as they represent his ancestors that he seeks to join, so too must we follow our stars in a way that allows the laws of Maat to come to life within our souls, revealing the essence of virtue that God deposited within man.

‘I have not made anyone cry - I have not defiled my body - I have not stolen - I have not killed - I have not threatened the peace.’

48

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫محمد بنوي‬ ‫كمــا فوق‪ ،‬كما تحت‬ ‫(قبــة الســماء المرصعة بالنجوم)‬ ‫حديد‪ ،‬بوليســتر‪ ،‬ورمل‬ ‫‪ 10 × 10 × 10‬م‬ ‫‪2023‬‬

‫تأمــل المصــري القديــم القوانيــن الكونية فكانت هــي النموذج الذى‬ ‫أراد ان يجعــل منــه صورة علــى األرض‪ ،‬ليصبح "كما فــوق‪ ،‬كما تحت"‬ ‫التــي جــاءت في الــواح الزمرد التي كتبهــا تحوت‪ ،‬وهي عبارة عــن مفاتيح‬ ‫تتحــدث إلينــا من مســتوى الروح‪ ،‬وليس من مســتوى العقــل‪ ،‬فالعالم‬ ‫ُعٍد أخر‪ ،‬ومصر الســفلى‬ ‫المــادي هــو صــورة من عالم أخر موجــود في ُب ٍ‬ ‫هــي مصــر الموجودة علــى األرض‪ ،‬والتي نعيــش فيها تجربتنــا في العالم‬ ‫المــادي‪ ،‬ومصــر العليــا هي نســخة أخرى من مصر موجــودة في عالم آخر‬ ‫أثيــري ‪ /‬نجمــي ‪ /‬باطنــي‪ ،‬وحيث كانت االعترافــات المنفيــة للماعت هي‬ ‫قوانيــن التــوازن و التناغــم‪ ،‬التي أخرجت الكون مــن الفوضى والظالم‪،‬‬ ‫ومــا زالــت تقيمــه وتحفظه من الســقوط مره أخرى‪ ،‬وكمــا تطلع الملك‬ ‫زوســر إلــي نجوم الســماء‪ ،‬التي ال تغيــب باعتبارها اسالفــه وكرغبة منه‬ ‫بااللتحــاق بهــم فــي الســماء‪ ،‬علينا أن نتتبــع نجومنا حتى تنكشــف في‬ ‫أرواحنــا الضوابــط األخالقية للماعــت‪ ،‬جوهر الفضيلــة التي أودعها اهلل‬ ‫داخل اإلنسان‪.‬‬ ‫"أنا لم أتســبب في بكاء أحد ‪ -‬أنا لم أدنس جســدي ‪ -‬أنا لم أســرق ‪ -‬أنا‬ ‫لــم أقتل ‪ -‬أنا لم أهدد الســام"‬

‫‪49‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

MOHAMED BANAWY AS ABOVE, SO BELOW (DOME OF STARRY SKY)

Photo: Walaa Al Shaer

50

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫محمد بنوي‬ ‫كمــا فوق‪ ،‬كما تحت‬ ‫(قبــة الســماء المرصعة بالنجوم)‬

‫‪51‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

Mohamed Banawy obtained his BA in 2000, his MA in the relation between pharaonic and African American mural painting in 2009, and his PhD in art philosophy in 2015 from the faculty of Fine Arts at Helwan University in Cairo where he has also taught since 2000. Banawy has devoted much time to human rights issues since 2000. He has participated in numerous exhibitions, biennales, and events in Egypt and abroad (including Italy, Spain, the UK, the USA, and the KSA) and has received several awards for his work, which is now represented in private, national, and international collections. One of his works was published as a model of contemporary mosaic art in Artemondo, the art textbook for Italian schools.

52

Banawy says of his art, ‘I can see the whole world and feel it; like a huge mosaic panel, that was formed unconsciously—with no intention at all—in which all the creatures play a role. Two of these creatures are the Goodness that builds the cities and the Evil that destroys them. When we build a house or plant a tree, or when we have a demonstration, what we are doing is putting a piece or some stones to create a huge panel. Same as when we destroy a house—we participate in a particular change in its texture by applying some different tentacles and spaces that should happen as if they are destined to be there. That’s why I see the world as a mosaic panel with constantly changing features as they have since the universe was created and will continue to change until the Resurrection.’

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫محمــد بنوي حصل على البكالوريوس مــن كلية الفنون الجميلة ‪-‬‬ ‫جامعــة حلوان بالقاهرة عام ‪ ،2000‬وماجســتير في العالقة بين اللوحة‬ ‫الجداريــة الفرعونية واألفريقيــة األمريكية عام ‪ ،2009‬ثم درجة الدكتوراه‬ ‫فــي فلســفة الفن ‪ .2015‬قام بالتدريس فــي كلية فنون جميلة منذ عام‬ ‫‪ ،2000‬وقد كرس بناوي الكثير من وقته لقضايا حقوق اإلنســان‪ .‬شــارك في‬ ‫معــارض وفعاليات متنوعة أقيمت في مصر وخارجها (روما ‪ -‬فينيســيا‬ ‫ لندن ‪ -‬نيويورك ‪ -‬رافينا ‪ -‬أســبانيا ‪ -‬المملكة العربية الســعودية)‪،‬‬‫وحصــل على العديد من الجوائز عــن أعماله الموجودة حاليا في‬ ‫مجموعــات خاصة ومجموعات فنية على المســتويين القومي والدولي‪.‬‬ ‫ُنشــر أحد أعماله كنموذج لفن الفسيفســاء المعاصر في "ارتيميندو"‬ ‫(وهو كتاب مدرســي يدرّس في المدارس اإليطالية)‪.‬‬ ‫عن فنه يقول‪" :‬أســتطيع أن أرى العالم كله وأشــعر به بمجرد وقوع‬ ‫عيني على لوحة فسيفســائية ضخمة تشــكلت دون وعي ‪ -‬ودون أي‬ ‫نيــة علــى اإلطالق ‪ -‬والتي لعبت فيهــا جميع الكائنات دورًا ما‪ .‬اثنان من‬ ‫هــذه الكائنــات هما الخير الذي يبني المدن والشــر الذي يدمرها‪ ،‬فكما‬ ‫هــو الحــال عندما نبني منز ًلا أو نزرع شــجرة أو عندما نقوم بمظاهرة ‪-‬‬ ‫مــا نفعلــه هو وضع قطعة ما أو بعــض الحجارة لخلق لوحة ضخمة‪.‬‬ ‫ينطبــق هــذا كذلك عندما نقوم بتدمير منزل ‪ -‬فإننا نشــارك في تغيير‬ ‫معين في نســيجه من خالل تبديل مواضع قطع الحجارة والمســاحات‬ ‫مــا بينهــا‪ ،‬فيبدو وكأنه كان مقدرا لها أن تكون هناك‪ .‬لهذا الســبب أرى‬ ‫العالم على هيئة لوحة فسيفســائية حيث تتغير مالمحها باســتمرار كما‬ ‫حــدث منذ خلق الكون وسيســتمر التغيير حتى يوم القيامة‪".‬‬

‫‪53‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

PILAR ZETA MIRROR GATE Limestone, Marble Carrara white and Nero Marquina black, stainless steel, automotive car paint, and fibreglass L 8.64 m, W 1.80-3.60 m 2023 ‘My inspiration stems from the ancient mysticism of Egypt. A limestone portal, juxtaposed with gold and blue car paint spheres, reflects the convergence of natural and synthetic materials in our post-industrial era, alongside the geological crust of our planet. The iridescent blue embodies the sacred beetle, symbolizing rebirth and regeneration. Adjacent to the installation, a limestone pyramid and a sphere create a contrast between temporal realms.

The checkerboard pathway, an allegory of duality, leads to a mirror egg, symbolizing the potential for all things and the exploration of one's subconscious. As viewers see their reflections within the pyramids, they glimpse the infinite possibilities of the creator. In Egyptian mythology, Thoth, depicted as an ibis, is self-created and lays the cosmic egg holding all creation's essence.

As an artist fascinated by Egyptian culture, for me, this portal holds immense significance, serving as a reminder of its enigmatic allure and an inter-dimensional gateway between time and space.’

54

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫بيالر زيتا‬ ‫بوابة المرآة‬ ‫الحجــر الجيــري‪ ،‬الرخام كارارا األبيض واألســود نيرو ماركينا‪،‬‬ ‫والفــوالذ المقــاوم للصدأ‪ ،‬وطالء الســيارات‪ ،‬واأللياف الزجاجية‬ ‫طــول ‪ 8،64‬م‪ ،‬عرض ‪ 3،6-1،8‬م‬ ‫‪2023‬‬ ‫"ينبــع إلهامــي مــن التصوف القديم فــي مصر‪ .‬بوابة مــن الحجر الجيري‪،‬‬ ‫جن ًبــا إلــى جنب مع كرات طالء الســيارات الذهبيــة والزرقاء‪ ،‬تعكس‬ ‫تقــارب المــواد الطبيعيــة واالصطناعيــة في عصر ما بعــد الصناعة‪،‬‬ ‫وذلــك بجانب القشــرة الجيولوجيــة لكوكبنا‪ .‬يجســد اللون األزرق‬ ‫القزحــي الخنفســاء المقدســة‪ ،‬ويرمز إلى الــوالدة والتجديد‪ .‬بجوار‬ ‫التركيــب‪ ،‬يوجــد هرم مــن الحجر الجيري وكــرة يخلقــان تباي ًنا بين‬ ‫العوالــم الزمنية‪.‬‬ ‫يؤدي مســار رقعة الشــطرنج‪ ،‬وهــو رمز لالزدواجية‪ ،‬إلى مــرآة بيضاوية‪،‬‬ ‫ترمــز إلى إمكانات كل األشــياء واستكشــاف العقــل الباطن لدى الفرد‪.‬‬ ‫عندمــا يرى المشــاهدون انعكاســاتهم داخل األهرامات‪ ،‬ســيلمحون‬ ‫اإلمكانيــات الالنهائيــة للخالــق‪ .‬في األســاطير المصريــة‪ ،‬تم تصوير‬ ‫تحــوت علــى أنــه طائر أبو منجل‪ ،‬وهــو مخلوق ذاتيًا‪ ،‬ويضــع البيضة‬ ‫الكونيــة التــي تحمل جوهــر الخليقــة بأكملها‪.‬‬ ‫باعتبــاري فنانــة مفتونــة بالثقافة المصريــة‪ ،‬تحمل هــذه البوابة أهمية‬ ‫كبيــرة بالنســبة لي‪ ،‬فهــي بمثابة تذكيــر بجاذبيتهــا الغامضة وبوابة‬ ‫متعــددة األبعاد بيــن الزمان والمكان‪".‬‬

‫‪55‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

PILAR ZETA MIRROR GATE

Photo: Walaa Al Shaer

56

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫بيالر زيتا‬ ‫بوابة المرآة‬

‫‪57‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

58

Pilar Zeta is an Argentinian-born artist currently based in Mexico City. A multifaceted artistic talent, her creative endeavours range from creating monumental installations and mixed media artworks to crafting iconic album artwork and directing music videos and live performances. Her works seamlessly blend elements of philosophy, mathematics, symbolism, mysticism, and surrealism, while embracing the aesthetics of postmodern architecture and the use of colour and shapes as a primordial language. In 2021, Zeta's artistic journey took a transformative leap with a monumental installation at Miami Art Week held at Faena Miami. In 2022, her solo exhibition ‘The Space of Variations’ at Praz-Delavallade in LA provided a glimpse into the artist's exploration of different dimensions merging the physical with the digital world within the concept of quantum physics. This successful exhibition set the stage for Zeta's subsequent installation during Miami Art Week 2022, titled ‘Future Transmutation’. In February 2023, Zeta showcased another large-scale installation and exhibition titled ‘Doors of Perception’ at Galerie Philia during MACO Art Week in Mexico City. Her diverse work, deeply influenced by the mysteries of ancient Egypt and cosmology, continues to push the boundaries of creative expression, inspiring audiences globally with her visionary approach and captivating exploration of the unknown. Notably, Zeta won a bronze Clio Award for Best Direction for her work on Camila Cabello's music video Don't Go Yet and received a 2021 Grammy nomination for her outstanding role as art director for Coldplay's ‘Everyday Life’ album.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫بيــار زيتــا هي فنانــة أرجنتينية المولــد ومقيمة حال ًيــا في مدينة‬ ‫مكســيكو‪ .‬تتمتــع بموهبــة فنيــة متعددة األوجه‪ ،‬وتتراوح مســاعيها‬ ‫اإلبداعيــة مــن إنشــاء تركيبات ضخمــة‪ ،‬وأعمال فنية راقيــة‪ ،‬إلى صياغة‬ ‫أعمــال فنيــة مميزة‪ ،‬وإخراج فيديوهــات أللبومات موســيقية‪ ،‬وكذلك‬ ‫العــروض الحيــة‪ .‬تمــزج أعمالها بسالســة عناصر الفلســفة والرياضيات‬ ‫والرمزيــة والتصــوف والســريالية‪ ،‬بينمــا تحتضــن جماليات معمار‬ ‫مــا بعد الحداثة‪ ،‬واســتخدام األلوان واألشــكال كلغــة بدائية‪ .‬في‬ ‫عــام ‪ ،2021‬حققــت رحلــة زيتا الفنية قفــزة تحويلية مــن خالل تركيب‬ ‫ضخــم في أســبوع الفن في ميامــي الذي أقيم فــي فاينا ميامي‪.‬‬ ‫وفــي عام ‪ ،2022‬قــدم معرضها الفردي "مســاحة االختالفات" في‬ ‫بــراز‪ -‬ديالفــاالدي في لوس أنجلــوس لمحة عن استكشــاف الفنانة‬ ‫ألبعــاد مختلفــة تدمج العالــم المادي مع العالــم الرقمي ضمن‬ ‫مفهــوم فيزيــاء الكــم‪ .‬مهد هذا المعــرض الناجح الطريــق لعمل زيتا‬ ‫التركيبــي (االنستليشــن) الالحق خالل أســبوع ميامــي للفنون ‪،2022‬‬ ‫بعنــوان "التحــول المســتقبلي"‪ .‬فــي فبراير ‪ ،2023‬عرضت زيتــا تركيبًا في‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ومعرضا آخر واســع النطــاق بعنوان "أبواب اإلدراك"‬ ‫الفــراغ (انستليشــن)‬ ‫فــي غاليــري فيليا خالل أســبوع ماكــو للفن في مدينة مكســيكو‪.‬‬ ‫تســتمر أعمالهــا المتنوعة‪ ،‬المتأثرة بشــدة بأســرار مصــر القديمة وعلم‬ ‫الكونيــات‪ ،‬في دفــع حدود التعبيــر اإلبداعي‪ ،‬وإلهــام الجماهير على‬ ‫مســتوى العالــم من خالل نهجها البصري واستكشــافها اآلســر‬ ‫للمجهــول‪ .‬والجديــر بالذكــر أن زيتا فــازت بجائزة "كليــو" البرونزية‬ ‫ألفضــل إخــراج عن عملها فــي الفيديو الموســيقي لـــكاميال كابيلو‪" ،‬ال‬ ‫ترحــل بعــد"‪ ،‬وحصلت على ترشــيح لجائــزة جرامي عام ‪ 2021‬عن دورها‬ ‫المتميــز كمديــرة فنية أللبــوم كولد بالي "الحيــاة اليومية"‪.‬‬

‫‪59‬‬

‫مع شــكر خاص‬ ‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

‫‪Special thanks to Mambo Creatives, Marmonil, and Linchpin-Heft‬‬

RASHED ALSHASHAI TRANSLUCENT PYRAMID Palm fibres 6x8x8m 2023 This site-specific installation is a dance between the past and the present, blurring the lines between traditional and modern, renewing our perceptions of art, heritage, science, and sustainable practices.

Translucent Pyramid uses wicker weaving, an ancient craft from Egypt, to pay homage to the history of the pyramids while offering a contemporary interpretation of their impact on our region's development processes. Emphasizing the value of preserving traditional methods while embracing innovation and creativity, the installation aims to advocate sustainable practices that have been used for centuries. By showcasing the beauty and artistry of traditional materials and techniques, AlShashai encourages viewers to think about the potential of sustainable practices in contemporary art and design. He also reflects on the human aspect of heritage and the dedication it has always borne. The installation as a whole is a deliberate tribute to the lasting legacy of traditional craftsmanship and the significance of sustainable practices.

60

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫راشد الشعشعي‬ ‫هرم شفاف‬ ‫جريد‬ ‫‪8×8×6‬م‬ ‫‪2023‬‬ ‫خصيصــا للموقع رقصة‬ ‫يمثــل هــذا التركيــب في الفراغ (االنستليشــن) المجهــز‬ ‫ً‬ ‫بيــن الماضــي والحاضــر‪ ،‬مما يغشــي الخطوط الفاصلة بيــن التقليديــة والحديثة‪،‬‬ ‫ويجــدد تصوراتنــا للفن والتراث والعلوم والممارســات المســتدامة‪ .‬يســتخدم‬ ‫الهــرم الشــفاف نســيج الخوص‪ ،‬وهي حرفــة قديمة من مصــر‪ ،‬لتكريم تاريخ‬ ‫األهرامــات‪ ،‬مــع تقديم تفســير معاصــر لتأثيرها علــى عمليــات التنمية في‬ ‫منطقتنــا‪ .‬وتأكيــدً ا علــى قيمــة الحفــاظ على األســاليب التقليدية مــع تبني االبتكار‬ ‫واإلبــداع‪ ،‬يهــدف التركيــب إلى الدعوة إلى الممارســات المســتدامة التي تم‬ ‫اســتخدامها لعــدة قرون‪ .‬فيشــجع الشعشــعي‪ ،‬من خــال عرض جمال وفن‬ ‫المــواد والتقنيــات التقليديــة‪ ،‬المشــاهدين علــى التفكير في إمكانات الممارســات‬ ‫المســتدامة فــي الفــن والتصميــم المعاصر‪ ،‬كمــا أنه يتأمل الجانب اإلنســاني‬ ‫دائما لذلك التراث‪ .‬يعــد التركيــب ككل بمثابة‬ ‫للتــراث‪ ،‬والتفانــي الــذي حملــه‬ ‫ً‬ ‫تكريــم مقصــود لــإرث األزلي للحرفيــة التقليدية وأهمية الممارســات المســتدامة‪.‬‬

‫‪61‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

RASHED ALSHASHAI TRANSLUCENT PYRAMID

Photo: Walaa Al Shaer

62

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫راشد الشعشعي‬ ‫هرم شفاف‬

‫‪63‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

64

Rashed AlShashai is a Saudi-based contemporary artist. He graduated from Umm Al-Qura University in Mecca with a master’s degree in art education in 2010. AlShashai subsequently held several managerial and creative positions in a number of art institutions in Saudi Arabia and abroad from 1996 to 2009 before starting the Tasami Art Center in Jeddah, which he managed until 2014. He has worked as an art educator at a number of different educational institutions, including Al Faisaliah Gifted School. He is currently the director of the Madina Arts Center. His practice questions the philosophy underlying human existence and the dynamics of society using commonplace objects as indicators of contemporary culture and globalisation by involving concepts related to everyday life and the specifics of daily practices.

His investigation into his surroundings, history, and heritage has a significant impact on his approach. He is renowned for using local materials in his artwork that carry historical symbolism and cultural specificity while reflecting the evolution of the modern kingdom and its histories. AlShashai has held many solo exhibitions and participated in several local and international collective ones, including the Diriyah Biennale (2021), Art Dubai (2021 and 2019), Noor Riyadh (2021), Palais de Tokyo in Paris (2020), Desert X AlUla (2020), Mnwr 5 in Kuwait (2019), Start London (2019), the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. (2018), the Islamic Arts Festival in Sharjah (2017), and the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art (2017).

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫راشــد الشعشــعي فنــان معاصر مقيم في الســعودية‪ .‬تخــرج من جامعة أم‬ ‫القــرى بمكــة المكرمــة بدرجة الماجســتير فــي التربيــة الفنية عام ‪ .2010‬وتولى‬ ‫الشعشــاعي بعــد ذلــك عدة مناصب إداريــة وإبداعية في عدد من المؤسســات‬ ‫الفنيــة فــي المملكــة العربية الســعودية وخارجهــا من عام ‪ 1996‬إلى عام ‪2009‬‬ ‫قبــل أن يبــدأ العمــل في مركز تســامي في جدة‪ ،‬والــذي أداره حتى عام ‪ .2014‬عمل‬ ‫كمعلــم فنــون فــي عدد من المؤسســات التعليميــة المختلفــة‪ ،‬بما في ذلك‬ ‫مدرســة الفيصليــة للموهوبيــن‪ ،‬وهو يشــغل حال ًيــا منصب مدير مركــز المدينة‬ ‫للفنــون‪ .‬تطرح ممارســته أســئلة عن الفلســفة الكامنة وراء الوجود اإلنســاني‬ ‫وديناميكيــات المجتمــع باســتخدام لوازم الحيــاة العامة كمؤشــرات للثقافة‬ ‫المعاصــرة والعولمــة من خالل إشــراك المفاهيــم المتعلقة بالحيــاة اليومية‬ ‫ممارســة تلــك التفاصيــل تلك الممارســات‪ .‬تؤثر ابحاثــه في محيطــه وتاريخه وتراثه‬ ‫بشــكل كبيــر علــى منهجه‪ ،‬حيث يشــتهر باســتخدام المواد المحليــة في أعماله‬ ‫الفنيــة التــي تحمــل رمزية تاريخيــة وخصوصيــة ثقافية وتعكــس التطور الحديث‬ ‫للمملكــة وتاريخهــا‪ .‬أقــام الشعشــعي العديد من المعارض الفردية وشــارك في‬ ‫العديــد مــن المعــارض الجماعيــة المحلية والعالميــة‪ ،‬منهــا بينالي الدرعية (‪،)2021‬‬ ‫آرت دبــي (‪ 2021‬و‪ ،)2019‬نــور الريــاض (‪ ،)2021‬قصر طوكيو فــي باريس (‪ ،)2020‬الصحراء‬ ‫إكــس فــي العال (‪ ،)2020‬منــور ‪ 5‬في الكويت (‪ ،)2019‬ســتارت لندن (‪ ،)2019‬مركز‬ ‫كينيــدي فــي واشــنطن العاصمة (‪ ،)2018‬مهرجان الفنون اإلســامية في الشــارقة‬ ‫(‪ ،)2017‬ومتحــف يوتا للفــن المعاصر (‪.)2017‬‬

‫‪65‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

RASHID AL KHALIFA REALITY IS TIMELESS Steel frame with perforated electroplated aluminium, brass & copper Total dimensions: 1800 x 900 cm Wall fragments: 500 x 200 x 40 cm (2 pieces); 400 x 200 x 30 cm (8 pieces); 200 x 300 x 30 cm (2 pieces) 2023 In this work, Rashid Al Khalifa creates fragments of a labyrinth, relics that emerge from the ground, tilted at varying angles. Is this the discovery of a lost labyrinth or the materialisation of hauntingly futuristic artifacts? Rashid plays on this concept of time and discovery, of the modern and ancient, through these fragments, whereby each piece is reminiscent of ancient mythology and yet, they are strikingly contemporary. Furthermore, each fragment exhibits different motifs adopted from the diagram of the Egyptian labyrinth presented by the 17th-century Jesuit scholar Anthanasius Kircher in his book Turris Babel (1679). Kircher’s labyrinth is largely derived from the description of Herodotos, who described a similar structure in Fayoum. The perforated motifs on the copper and brass exterior, beautifully oxidise and cast shadows of light on the ground as visitors traverse the installation.

66

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫راشد آل خليفة‬ ‫الواقــع ال زمن له‬ ‫إطــار من الفوالذ مغطــى باأللومنيوم‪،‬‬ ‫نحــاس أصفر وأحمر‬ ‫الحجم الكلي على األرض ‪ 900 × 1800‬ســم‬ ‫قطع جدارية ‪ 40 × 200 × 500‬ســم (قطعتان)‪،‬‬ ‫‪ 30 × 200 × 400‬ســم (ثمانية قطع)‪ 30 × 300 × 200 ،‬ســم (قطعتان)‬ ‫‪2023‬‬ ‫بهــذه القطعــة يبــدع راشــد آل خليفة شــظايا متاهة‪ ،‬آثارًا تخــرج من األرض‪ ،‬مائلة‬ ‫بزوايــا مختلفــة‪ .‬هل هذا اكتشــاف متاهــة مفقودة‪ ،‬أم تجســيد لقطع أثرية‬ ‫مســتقبلية مخيفــة؟ ويلعــب رشــيد على مفهــوم الزمن واالكتشــاف‪ ،‬بين الحديث‬ ‫والقديــم مــن خالل هذه القطــع‪ ،‬حيث ُت َذ ِكرنــا كل قطعة باألســاطير القديمة‪،‬‬ ‫ومــع ذلــك فهي معاصرة بشــكل ملفــت للنظر‪ .‬عالوة علــى ذلك‪ ،‬تعرض كل‬ ‫قطعــة زخــارف مختلفــة مأخوذة من مخطــط المتاهــة المصرية الذي قدمه‬ ‫العالم اليســوعي أنثناســيوس كيرشــر في القرن الســابع عشــر في كتابه "توريس‬ ‫بابــل" (‪ .)1679‬إن متاهــة كيرشــر مســتمدة إلى حد كبيــر من وصف هيرودوت‪،‬‬ ‫الــذي وصــف هيك ًلا مشـ ً‬ ‫ـابها فــي الفيوم‪ .‬تتأكســد الزخارف المثقبــة على الجزء‬ ‫الخارجــي مــن النحــاس األصفر والنحاس األحمر بشــكل جميــل‪ ،‬وتلقي ظال ً‬ ‫ال من‬ ‫الضــوء على األرض حول الــزوار أثناء اجتيازهــم للتركيب‪.‬‬

‫‪67‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

RASHID AL KHALIFA REALITY IS TIMELESS

Photo: Walaa Al Shaer

68

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫راشد آل خليفة‬ ‫الواقــع ال زمن له‬

‫‪69‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

70

Rashid Al Khalifa moved from Bahrain to the UK in 1972 to study at Hastings College of Arts and Technology in Sussex. Inspired by impressionism, upon his return to Bahrain in 1978, he began his own renditions of his country’s landscapes, producing a series of atmospheric paintings of the desert, sea, and historical sites. In the decades that followed, Rashid saw his work evolve from landscape painting to figurative work and then to gestural abstractions on convex canvases. His focus shifted to minimalism in the late 2000s with his employment of the smooth surface that aluminium offers.

He began to consider the susceptibility, mechanics, and geometric processes involved in certain aspects of the design and architecture that he visualised in Bahrain’s everchanging landscape, and his resulting works are inherent of a dichotomy; they are powerful and dominating, but concurrently effortless, delicate, and meditative. There is an undercurrent that flows through Rashid’s oeuvre, driven by his desire to develop and evolve. In many respects, the stylistic transitions that define certain periods, reflect the changing landscape of his country and the passages of his life. Recognised as the foremost patron of the arts in the Kingdom of Bahrain, Rashid was named honorary president of the Bahrain Arts Society when it was established 1983. He currently holds the position of chairman of the National Council for Arts in Bahrain. An avid art collector, he established the RAK Art Foundation in his name in 2020, which presents his collection of modern and contemporary art.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫راشــد آل خليفــة انتقــل مــن البحرين إلــى المملكة المتحدة عام ‪ 1972‬للدراســة‬ ‫فــي كليــة هاســتينغز للفنــون والتكنولوجيا في ساســكس‪ .‬بدأ معارضه‬ ‫اإلنطباعيــة عــن المناظــر الطبيعيــة في بــاده بعد عودته إلــى البحرين عام ‪،1978‬‬ ‫وأنتــج سلســلة مــن اللوحات عن الصحــراء والبحر والمواقــع التاريخية‪ .‬وفي‬ ‫العقــود التــي تلت ذلك‪ ،‬شــهد راشــد تطور أعماله من رســم المناظــر الطبيعية‬ ‫إلــى األعمــال التصويريــة الرمزية‪ ،‬ثم إلــى التجريدات اإليمائيــة على اللوحات‬ ‫المحدبــة‪ .‬تحــول تركيزه إلــى البســاطة (الميناماليزم) في أواخــر العقد األول من‬ ‫القــرن الحــادي والعشــرين‪ ،‬من خالل اســتخدامه للســطح األملس الذي يوفره‬ ‫األلومنيــوم‪ .‬بــدأ فــي النظر فــي القابلية للتأثــر والميكانيكــة والعمليات الهندســية‬ ‫التــي تنطــوي عليهــا جوانب معينة مــن التصميم والهندســة المعماريــة التي يراها‬ ‫فــي المشــهد الطبيعــي المتغير باســتمرار في البحريــن‪ ،‬وتمحورت أعمالــه الناتجة‬ ‫عــن ذلــك التأمل حــول ثنائية؛ إنهم أقويــاء ومســيطرون‪ ،‬ولكنهم في الوقت‬ ‫نفســه سلســون وحساســون وتأمليون‪ .‬هناك تيار خفي يتدفق في أعمال راشــد‪،‬‬ ‫مدفوعً ــا برغبتــه فــي التطــور والنمو‪ .‬تعكس التحوالت األســلوبية فــي أعماله‪ ،‬في‬ ‫كثيــر مــن األحيــان‪ ،‬التحوالت فــي المناظــر الطبيعية لبالده‪ ،‬ومراحــل حياته‪ .‬يُعرف‬ ‫رئيســا فخريًا‬ ‫راشــد بأنــه الراعــي األول للفنون في مملكــة البحرين‪ ،‬وقد تــم تعيينه‬ ‫ً‬ ‫لجمعيــة البحريــن للفنــون عندما تأسســت عام ‪ .1983‬ويشــغل حال ًيــا منصب رئيس‬ ‫المجلــس الوطنــي للفنــون فــي البحرين‪ .‬وهو مــن هواة جمع األعمــال الفنية‪ ،‬وقد‬ ‫أنشــأ مؤسســة راشــد آل خليفة للفنون عــام ‪ ،2020‬والتي تقــدم مجموعته من‬ ‫الفن الحديــث والمعاصر‪.‬‬

‫‪71‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

SABINE MARCELIS RA Laminated solar glass 1194 x 717 x 4200 mm 2023 RA stands as a testament to harmonising materiality, artistry, and sustainable innovation. Fashioned from laminated solar glass, the functional sculpture embodies a symphony of the elements. With an off-grid independence, it harnesses the sun's energy to illuminate the gnomon after dusk.

Returning to the birthplace of the sundial, the artwork casts a dual enchantment. Indicating time through casting elongated shadows on the ancient sands, an homage to its history.

And simultaneously orchestrating a vibrant choreography of light reflections off its surface. The artwork produces an everchanging footprint of light as the day progresses.

Revolutionary material integration lies at its core; solar cells seamlessly embedded within the reflective surface mark a new artistic trajectory for Marcelis. A pioneering endeavour, this melding of aesthetics and utility foretells a future where public art generates electricity, sans the constraints of conventional solar panels. "Solar Sundial" epitomises an era where artistic ingenuity, historical homage, and technological advancement converge seamlessly.

72

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫سابين مارسيليس‬ ‫رع‬ ‫رقائق الزجاج الشمســي‬ ‫‪ 4200 × 717 × 1194‬مــم‬ ‫‪2022‬‬

‫رع هــي قطعــة تمثل الســاعة الشمســية في دليل علــى تناغم المواد‪،‬‬ ‫والبراعــة الفنيــة‪ ،‬واالبتكار المســتدام‪ .‬تجســد القطعــة المنحوتة ذات‬ ‫الصفــة الوظيفيــة والمصنوعــة من رقائق الزجاج الشمســي ســيمفونية‬ ‫مــن العناصر‪ .‬وهي تســخر طاقة الشــمس إلضاءة عقرب الســاعة بعد‬ ‫الغســق‪ ،‬بشكل مســتقل عن شــبكة الكهرباء‪.‬‬ ‫تحمــل هــذه المنحوتة ســحرا مزدوجا كونها تعرض في مســقط رأس‬ ‫الســاعة الشمســية‪ ،‬فيشــار إلى الوقت من خالل إلقــاء ظالل ممتدة‬ ‫علــى الرمــال القديمــة‪ ،‬تكريمــً لتاريخها‪ ،‬وفي اآلن ذاتــه‪ُ ،‬تصمم رقصات‬ ‫نابضــة بالحيــاة النعكاســات الضــوء بعيدا عن ســطحها‪ُ .‬تحدث هذه‬ ‫القطعــة بصمــة ضوئيــة دائمة التغيــر مع مرور اليوم‪.‬‬ ‫ويكمــن التوحــد المادي الجذري فــي جوهرهــا؛ فتمثل الخاليا‬ ‫الشمســية المدمجة بسالســة داخل الســطح العاكس مســا رًا فنيًا‬ ‫جديــدً ا لمارســيليس‪ .‬وممــا يمثــل جهدا رائدا‪ ،‬هو هــذا المزج ما بين‬ ‫الجماليــات والمنفعــة والــذي ينبئ بمســتقبل قد يصبــح فيه الفن‬ ‫موَّ ِلــدً ا للكهربــاء في األماكــن العامة دون االلتــزام بالقيود التي‬ ‫تفرضهــا األلــواح الشمســية التقليديــة‪" .‬رع" تركيــب يتلخص عص ًرا‬ ‫يتالقــى فيــه اإلبداع الفنــي‪ ،‬والتكريــم التاريخي‪ ،‬والتقــدم التكنولوجي‪،‬‬ ‫بســهولة تامة‪.‬‬

‫‪73‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

SABINE MARCELIS RA

Photo: Walaa Al Shaer

74

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫سابين مارسيليس‬ ‫رع‬

‫‪75‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

76

Sabine Marcelis is an artist and designer who runs her practice from the harbour of Rotterdam, the Netherlands. After graduating from the Design Academy of Eindhoven in 2011, Marcelis began working within the fields of product, installation, and spatial design with a strong focus on materiality. Her work is characterised by pure forms which highlight material properties. Marcelis applies a strong aesthetic point of view to her collaborations with industry specialists. This method of working allows her to intervene in the manufacturing process, using material research and experimentation to achieve new and surprising visual effects for projects both showcased in museums and commissioned by commercial clients and fashion houses. Marcelis considers her designs to be true sensorial experiences: the experience becomes the function, with a refined and unique aesthetic. Her work has been acquired into the permanent collection of Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam and The National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, AU among others. She has recently won the prestigious Elle Deco International Design award 2023 'Designer of the year' and Wallpaper awards ‘Designer of the year 2020’, Notable exhibitions include solo shows at the Mies van der Rohe Barcelona Pavilion, Museum Boijmans van Beuningen and Vitra Design Museum. Group shows at Design Miami, Les Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Kunsthal Rotterdam. Art installation commissions by Fendi, Dior and Noor Riyadh festival among others.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫ســابين مارســيليس هي فنانة ومصممة تدير عملها من ميناء روتردام بهولندا‪.‬‬ ‫بــدأت‪ ،‬بعــد تخرجها من أكاديمية التصميم فــي أيندهوفن في عام ‪ ،2011‬بالعمل‬ ‫فــي مجــاالت المنتجات والتركيب في الفراغ وتصميــم الفضاءات الفنية مع التركيز‬ ‫القــوي علــى ما هو ملموس‪ ،‬حيث يتميز عملها بنماذج نقية تســلط الضوء على‬ ‫خصائــص المواد‪ .‬تضيف مارســيليس وجهة نظــر جمالية قوية على تعاونها مع‬ ‫المتخصصيــن في الصناعة‪ ،‬فتســمح لها طريقة العمــل هذه بالتدخل في عملية‬ ‫التصنيــع‪ ،‬باســتخدام البحث والتجريب على المــواد لتحقيق تأثيرات بصرية جديدة‬ ‫ومثيرة للدهشــة لكل من المشــاريع المعروضة في المتاحف‪ ،‬وتلك التي تم‬ ‫تكليفهــا بهــا من قبل عمالء تجاريين وبيوت أزياء‪ .‬تعتبر مارســيليس تصميماتها‬ ‫بمثابــة تجارب حســية حقيقية‪ :‬تتحول التجربة وظيفــة تتمتع بجماليات راقية وفريدة‬ ‫مــن نوعهــا‪ .‬تم ضم أعمالها إلى المجموعة الدائمة لمتحــف بويمانز فون بويننجن‪،‬‬ ‫ومتحف ســتيديليك في أمســتردام‪ ،‬والمعرض الوطني في فيكتوريا‪ ،‬وملبورن‪،‬‬ ‫واالتحــاد األفريقــي وغيرها‪ .‬لقد فازت مؤخرًا بجائزة ايل ديكو إنترناشــيونال ديزاين‬ ‫المرموقــة لعــام ‪" 2023‬مصممة العام"‪ ،‬وجوائــز مجلة "وال بيبر" "مصممة العام‬ ‫‪ ،"2020‬وتعــرض أعمالهــا الفردية في معــارض بارزة‪ ،‬منها ميس فون روهي جناج‬ ‫برشــلونة‪ ،‬ومتحف بويمانز فون بويننجن‪ ،‬ومتحف فيترا ديزاين‪ .‬كما شــاركت في‬ ‫عــروض جماعية في ميامي ديزاين‪ ،‬ومتحف دي آرت ديكوراتيفز‪ ،‬وكونســتهال‬ ‫روتــردام‪ ،‬وكذلــك أعمال تركيبية فنية بتكليف من شــركات فندي‪ ،‬وديور‪ ،‬ومهرجان‬ ‫نور الرياض‪ ،‬وغيرهم‪.‬‬

‫‪77‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

SAM SHENDI THE GHOST TEMPLE Steel 4.22 x 3 m 2023 'Ancient Egyptian civilisation has left an imprint on the land that shows imagination can take you beyond time.

The physical remains may not be in their full glory, but we can see the strength and the power from the statements they make. We can imagine structures that are no longer there, and we can feel the energy and the spirit that radiate into the atmosphere.'

78

Fabricated by Al Alousi and Bronze International ‫تصنيع‬ FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫سام شندي‬ ‫المعبد الشبح‬ ‫فوالذ‬ ‫‪ 3 × 4،22‬م‬ ‫‪2023‬‬

‫لقــد تركــت الحضــارة المصريــة القديمة بصمــة على األرض‪ُ ،‬تظهر أن‬ ‫الخيــال يمكــن أن يأخــذك إلى ما هو أبعــد من الزمن‪ .‬قد ال تكــون البقايا‬ ‫الماديــة فــي كامــل مجدها‪ ،‬ولكــن يمكننا أن نرى القــوة والعنفوان‬ ‫مــن خــال وجودهــم‪ .‬يمكننــا أن نتخيل الصروح التي لــم تعد موجودة‪،‬‬ ‫ويمكننــا أن نشــعر بالطاقة والروح التي تشــع فــي الغالف الجوي‪.‬‬

‫‪79‬‬

‫‪Supported by‬‬

‫مدعوم من قبل‬ ‫مع شكر خاص‬ ‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

‫‪Special thanks to‬‬

SAM SHENDI THE GHOST TEMPLE

Photo: Walaa Al Shaer

80

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫سام شندي‬ ‫المعبد الشبح‬

‫‪81‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

82

Sam Shendi is an Egyptian-born British sculptor whose work delves into the core of human existence through vibrant, coloured sculptural abstractions of the human figure. After graduating from Helwan University of Fine Arts in Cairo in 1997, Shendi's early focus on figurative sculptures gradually transformed into abstract yet recognisable forms. Over the years, his practice has evolved, liberating the figure from the constraints of conventional presentation. Inspired by the emotional complexities that shape human experiences, he gravitated towards a minimalistic approach, distilling his concepts to their essence. Each piece serves as a documentary of his personal diary, capturing specific memories that profoundly influence the forms he creates. Shendi's choice of materials has evolved alongside his artistic development. Utilizing stainless steel as his medium of choice, he represents contemporary life, departing from the traditional use of bronze, stone, and wood, and imbuing industrial materials with hues and achieving a weightless quality that captivates the viewer's gaze. His aspiration is for future generations to perceive his works as powerful representations of the zeitgeist. Acting as a bridge between the past and the future, Shendi’s sculptures seamlessly transcend genres and fit into any artistic context, serving as vibrant reflections of the human condition. Through his mastery of minimalistic forms and his exploration of the human psyche, he invites viewers into a world where simplicity unravels profound truths. His art becomes a visual communication, bridging the gap between himself and the public and inspiring viewers to explore their own emotional complexities.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫ســام شــندي هو نحات بريطاني مصري المولد‪ ،‬يتعمق عمله في جوهر الوجود‬ ‫اإلنســاني من خالل المنحوتات المجردة الملونة والنابضة بالحياة لقوام االنســان‪.‬‬ ‫بعــد تخرجــه من جامعة حلوان للفنون الجميلة في القاهرة عام ‪ّ ،1997‬‬ ‫ركز شــندي‬ ‫مبكــرا علــى المنحوتات التصويرية‪ ،‬ثم تحول تدريجيًا إلى أشــكال مجردة‪ ،‬ولكن‬ ‫التي يمكن التعرف عليها‪ .‬تطورت ممارســاته على مر الســنين‪ ،‬مما أدى إلى تحرير‬ ‫الشــكل مــن قيود العرض التقليدي‪ .‬انجــذب بعد ذلك نحو نهج الحد األدنى أو‬ ‫التبســيط (الميناميليزم)‪ ،‬مســتلهما ذلك من التعقيدات العاطفية التي تشــكل‬ ‫التجــارب اإلنســانية‪ ،‬حتى تمكن من تنقيــة مفاهيمه‪ ،‬والوصول إلى جوهرها‪ .‬كل‬ ‫قطعة من أعماله هي بمثابة فيلم وثائقي مســتلهم من مذكراته الشــخصية‪،‬‬ ‫ملتقطا ذكريات محددة تؤثر بشــكل عميق على األشــكال التي يكونها‪ .‬تطور‬ ‫اختيار شــندي للمواد جنبًا إلى جنب مع تطوره الفني‪ ،‬فاختار أن يســتخدم الفوالذ‬ ‫المقــاوم للصــدأ الذي يمثل الحياة المعاصرة‪ ،‬وابتعد عن االســتخدام التقليدي‬ ‫للبرونــز والحجر والخشــب‪ ،‬وخضب المواد الصناعيــة بتدرج لوني‪ ،‬مع تحقيق جودة‬ ‫انعدام الوزن التي تأســر أنظار المشــاهد‪ ،‬وهو يطمح أن تنظر األجيال القادمة إلى‬ ‫أعماله باعتبارها تجســيدا قويا لروح العصر‪ .‬تمثل أعمال شــندي النحتية جســرا بين‬ ‫الماضي والمســتقبل‪ ،‬وتتجاوز أعماله النحتية التصنيفات بســهولة‪ ،‬وتتناســب مع أي‬ ‫ســياق فني‪ ،‬و ُتعتبر بمثابة انعكاســات نابضة بالحياة لحالة اإلنســان‪ .‬ومن خالل إتقانه‬ ‫لألشــكال البســيطة‪ ،‬واستكشافه للنفسية البشــرية‪ ،‬يدعو المشاهدين إلى عالم‬ ‫تكشــف فيه البســاطة عن حقائق عميقة‪ .‬يصبح فنه بمثابة تواصل بصري‪ ،‬حيث‬ ‫يُجســر الفجوة بينه وبين الجمهور ويُلهم المشــاهدين الستكشــاف تعقيداتهم‬ ‫العاطفية الذاتية‪.‬‬

‫‪83‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

STEPHAN BREUER TEMPLE •I• Gold PVD stainless steel, magnets, NFC chip, POAP, emotional AI 2 x 1.30 m 2023 Stephan Breuer’s icons are mysteriously high-tech and spiritual, they are meant to connect our sensations to the sublime. Within the most extraordinary Giza plateau, Breuer presents for the first time TEMPLE •I•. An inverted golden triangle seemingly floating in space like a divine apparition, conveys a powerful material and immaterial vision of pure light.

Temple •I• acts as a sign within the landscape to stop and take a moment to contemplate both the exterior world and the one within us in gratitude. The ancient Egyptians wished to be eternal, and their monumental wonders are material traces informing us of their passage. Temple •I• is not a physical monument celebrating one king like in ancient times but an immaterial one meant to preserve the digital memories of every human in contact with this artwork. Through an invisible technology, we can connect to this Icon with our phones and receive in return a digital token of our presence making the Now, Forever.

84

To connect to Temple •I•, please scan the code ‫للمزيد برجاء مســح الرمز‬

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫ستيفان بروير‬ ‫معبد •‪•I‬‬ ‫باللون الذهبــي‪ ،‬والمغناطيس‪ PVD ،‬الفــوالذ المقــاوم للصــدأ بتقنية‬ ‫ذكاء اصطناعــي عاطفي ‪ NFC ، POAP ،‬شــريحة‬ ‫‪ 1.30 × 2‬م‬ ‫‪2023‬‬

‫تتميــز أيقونات ســتيفان برويــر بأنها روحانيــة وذات تقنية‬ ‫عاليــة يســودها الغموض‪ ،‬تهدف إلى ربط أحاسيســنا‬

‫بالجــال‪ .‬يقــدم بروير ألول مــرة معبد •‪ •I‬على ســفح هضبة‬ ‫األهرامــات الرائعــة‪ .‬فيبــدو المثلث الذهبــي المقلوب وكأنه‬ ‫يطفــو فــي الفضاء مثــل الظهور اإللهــي‪ ،‬وينقل رؤية مادية‬

‫ومعنوية شــديدة القــوة لضوء نقي‪.‬‬ ‫يدعونــا معبــد •‪ •I‬أن نتوقف فــي ذلك المشــهد الطبيعي‪،‬‬ ‫ونأخــذ لحظــة تأمل لكل مــن العالم الخارجــي وعالمنا‬ ‫الداخلــي بامتنــان كامل‪ .‬لقــد تمنى قدمــاء المصريين أن‬ ‫يكونــوا خالديــن‪ ،‬حيــث تخبرنا عجائبهــم األثرية‪ ،‬وهي آثار‬

‫ماديــة عــن وجودهم‪ .‬معبــد •‪ •I‬ليس نصبًا ماد ًيــا يحتفل‬ ‫بملــك واحــد‪ ،‬كما كان الحال فــي العصــور القديمة‪ ،‬ولكنه‬ ‫نصــب معنــوي يهدف إلــى الحفاظ على الذكريــات الرقمية‬

‫لكل إنســان تواصــل مع هذا العمــل الفني‪ .‬ومن خالل‬ ‫تقنيــة غيــر مرئيــة‪ ،‬يمكننا االتصــال بهذه األيقونــة بهواتفنا‬ ‫والحصــول في المقابــل على رمز رقمــي لوجودنا مما‬ ‫يجعــل اآلن‪ ،‬هو األبد‪.‬‬

‫‪85‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

STEPHAN BREUER TEMPLE •I•

Photo: Stephan Breuer

86

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫ستيفان بروير‬ ‫معبد •‪•I‬‬

‫‪87‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

© Karl Harb

88

Stephan Breuer is an artist whose practice takes us on a fascinating voyage within some of the most iconic monuments. Aiming at the Sublime in the digital age he is always at the forefront of technology by seamlessly integrating it as poetic gestures. Currently exploring the symbolic relevance of ‘icons’, both in terms of art and in digital understanding, Stephan Breuer has been developing series of infrathin gold artefacts, reducing their physical footprint to the minimum, thus mirroring their inception into the virtual cloud. A forward-thinking approach, which enabled one of his icons, the digitisation of an angel by Rembrandt, to become in 2021 the first NFC chip authenticated artwork to be archived by the Louvre Museum. In this immediate moment where the past, the present, and the future are a deeply intertwined structure, Breuer invites us to consider our history through the prism of ‘Atemporality’. Notable presentations include a performance work commissioned by Artcurial, Paris, in 2011; solo exhibitions at the Imperial Palace of Compiegne, France, in 2013 and the Franco- American Museum of Blérancourt, France, in 2017; digital projects produced in collaboration with the Jardin du Palais Royal, Paris, in 2018, the Museo Nazionale Romano, Roma, in 2022, and the Giza Plateau in 2023.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫ســتيفان بروير هو فنان تأخذنا ممارســاته الفنية في رحلة رائعة داخل بعض‬ ‫المعالــم األثرية األكثر شــهرة‪ .‬يهــدف للوصول إلى الذروة في العصر الرقمي‪،‬‬ ‫دائما في صدارة التعامل مع التكنولوجيا من خالل دمجها بسالســة‪،‬‬ ‫ولــذا يكــون‬ ‫ً‬ ‫وكأنها إيماءات شــعرية‪ .‬يستكشــف ســتيفان بروير حاليًا األهمية الرمزية لـ‬ ‫"األيقونات"‪ ،‬ســواء من حيث الفن أو الفهم الرقمي‪ ،‬ويعمل على تطوير سلســلة‬ ‫مــن المصنوعــات الذهبية اليدوية الرقيقة للغاية‪ ،‬ممــا يقلل من بصمتها المادية‬ ‫إلــى الحــد األدنى‪ ،‬وبالتالي ينعكس ظهورها على الســحابة االفتراضية‪ .‬تمكن‬ ‫بســبب نهــج تفكيره المتطور‪ ،‬من رقمنــة إحدى أيقوناته‪ ،‬وهي لوحة المالك‬

‫لرامبرانت‪ ،‬والتي أصبحت في ‪ 2021‬أول عمل فني موثق باســتخدام شــريحة ‪NFC‬‬

‫يتــم أرشــفته في متحف اللوفر‪ .‬في هذه اللحظــة الحالية حيث يصبح الماضي‬ ‫والحاضر والمســتقبل بنية متشــابكة بعمق‪ ،‬يدعونا بروير إلى التفكير في تاريخنا من‬ ‫خــال منظور "الالزمنية"‪ .‬تشــمل عروضه الهامة عمـ ً‬ ‫ا أدائيًا بتكليف من ارتكوريال‬ ‫بباريــس فــي عام ‪ ،2011‬ومعارض فردية في القصر اإلمبراطوري في كومبيين بفرنســا‬ ‫في عام ‪ ،2013‬والمتحف الفرنســي األمريكي في بليرانكور بفرنســا في عام ‪،2017‬‬ ‫ومشــاريع رقميــة تم إنتاجها بالتعاون مع حديقــة القصر الملكي بباريس عام ‪،2018‬‬ ‫والمتحــف الوطني الروماني بروما عــام ‪ ،2022‬وهضبة األهرامات بالجيزة عام ‪.2023‬‬

‫‪89‬‬

‫مدعوم من قبل‬ ‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

‫‪Supported by‬‬

Photo: Diego F. Parra on Pexels

90

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫لم�ش‬ ‫ا روع‬ PARALLEL PROJECT ‫مل‬ ‫ز‬ �‫ا وا� ي‬ 91

ART D’ÉGYPTE

PARALLEL PROJECT

JR INSIDE OUT GIZA 2022/2023 Paper glued on a wooden platform 130 portraits, 20 x 4.5 m 2023 Inside Out Giza was the first Inside Out Photobooth in Egypt, with more than 3,600 participants visiting the pyramid-shaped interactive photo booth during the second edition of Forever Is Now in 2022. The participants received a large-scale black and white portrait that they got to paste onto a billboard and temporarily see together with the Great Pyramids of Giza. This year, making an even bigger ephemeral statement in front of the timeless monuments, the pictures will be showcased collectively in conversation with the UNESCO world heritage site.

92

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫المشروع الموازي‬

‫جيه آر‬ ‫الجيــزة ‪ -‬من الداخل إلى الخارج‬ ‫‪2023/2022‬‬ ‫ورق مثبــت بالصمغ على منصة خشــبية‬ ‫‪ 130‬صــورة‪ 4،5 × 20 ،‬م‬ ‫‪2023‬‬

‫"الجيــزة مــن الداخــل للخارج"‪ ،‬كان أول تجهيــز في الفراغ (انستليشــن) من‬ ‫نوعــه فــي مصر‪ ،‬حيث زار أكثر من ‪ 3600‬مشــارك كشــك التصويــر التفاعلي‬ ‫المبنــي علــى شــكل هرم خالل النســخة الثانية مــن معرض "األبد هو اآلن" عام‬ ‫‪ .2022‬وقــد تلقى المشــاركون صــورة كبيرة الحجم باألبيض واألســود‪ ،‬وقاموا‬ ‫بلصقهــا علــى لوحــة إعالنية‪ ،‬ومشــاهدتها بشــكل مؤقت جن ًبــا إلى جنب مع‬ ‫أهرامــات الجيــزة الكبــرى‪ .‬هذا العام‪ ،‬ســيتم عرض الصور بشــكل جماعي في‬ ‫عــرض ضخــم وفريد من نوعــه في موقع التــراث العالمي لليونســكو على‬ ‫هضبة األهرامات‪..‬‬

‫‪93‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

JR INSIDE OUT GIZA 2022/2023

Photo: MO4 Network

94

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫جيه آر‬ ‫الجيــزة ‪ -‬من الداخل إلى الخارج‬ ‫‪2023/2022‬‬

‫‪95‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

© Karl JR, official portrait, 2022 © JR - Photo. Grégoire Machavoine

The Inside Out Project is a platform that helps communities around the world stand up for what they believe in and spark global change locally through works of public art. Anyone in the world can create an ‘Inside Out Action’ by displaying large-scale black and white portraits of members of their community in public spaces. The project was launched by the French artist JR after he won the TED Prize in 2011. Over the past decade, more than 500,000 people spanning 152 countries and territories have participated in the Inside Out Project. Through their actions, communities worldwide have sparked collaborations and conversations.

96

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫عن مشــروع "من الداخل إلى الخارج" مشــروع "من الداخل إلى الخارج" عبارة عن‬ ‫منصــة تســاعد المجتمعات في جميع أنحاء العالــم على الدفاع عما يؤمنون به‪،‬‬ ‫وإثــارة التغييــر العالمي محليًا من خالل األعمال الفنية العامة‪ .‬يمكن ألي شــخص‬ ‫فــي العالم إنشــاء "حركة من الداخــل إلى الخارج"‪ ،‬من خالل عرض صور باألبيض‬ ‫واألســود على نطاق واســع ألعضاء مجتمعهم في األماكن العامة‪ .‬أطلق المشروع‬ ‫الفنــان الفرنســي جيه آر بعد فوزه بجائزة "تيــد" عام ‪ .2011‬وعلى مدى العقد الماضي‪،‬‬ ‫شــارك في المشــروع أكثر من ‪ 500‬ألف شــخص من ‪ 152‬دولة ومنطقة‪ .‬ومن خالل‬ ‫هذه الفعاليات‪ ،‬تم تشــجيع التعاون والحــوار بين مجتمعات في جميع‬ ‫أنحاء العالم‪.‬‬

‫‪97‬‬

‫‪ART D’ÉGYPTE‬‬

Photo: Paolo Cogo on Pexels

98

FOREVER IS NOW .03

‫تك ت‬ �‫� با�ا‬ WRITINGS ‫ف� ف‬ ON ‫� ال�ن‬ ‫ي‬ ART & ‫ت ي� خ‬ HISTORY � ‫و ال�ار‬ 99

ART D’ÉGYPTE

THE DISCOVERY OF THE NEW CORRIDOR INSIDE THE GREAT PYRAMID Zahi Hawass

Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Ahmed Eissa announced a few months ago that the ScanPyramids Project had found behind the main entrance of the Great Pyramid of Khufu a corridor of approximately 9m long and 2.10m wide with a chevron ceiling. The announcement was made in front of hundreds of reporters and television channels from all over the world, marking the momentousness of the discovery in the only monument remaining today of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

The discovery was made by a scientific team from Japan, France, and Egypt.

Dr Hany Helal, former Minister of Higher Education was the coordinator of the team; Eng. Mehdi Tayoubi also participated in addition to a German team.

The Minister of Tourism and Antiquities appointed me director of the scientific team to review the results of the work together with Egyptologists Mark Lehner and Miroslav Bárta. We also invited Dr Dietrich Raue, the Director of the Archaeological German Institute, to join us.

100

The team started work in 2016 and used five different non-destructive techniques (including infrared, muon radiography, georadar, ultrasound, architectural, and 3D simulation) to explore the chevron area and the stone gables over the entrance to the descending passage at the northern face of the Great Pyramid. The analysis of the different results showed that there was a corridor (the north face corridor) behind the chevron area with the abovementioned dimensions. These results have been peer reviewed and FOREVER IS NOW .03

accepted for publication in Nature (2023) and in Non-destructive Testing and Evaluation (2023), an international scientific journal specialised in nondestructive techniques in engineering.

The committee held a meeting at the office of Dr Nashwa Gaber at the Pyramids together with Ashraf Mohie Eldin, Director General of the Pyramids of Giza.

Hany Helal asked the team to move to the site of the chevron area on the north face of the Great Pyramid where we joined the members of the ScanPyramids team. The team viewed the newly discovered corridor on a video screen, the images transmitted through a very thin (6mm) endoscope inserted into a joint behind the lower course of the chevron and manoeuvred up inside the corridor, which was immediately clear to us. We clapped with joy - we could not believe that we were seeing a discovery inside the Great Pyramid with our own eyes.

The roof of the corridor is gabled, taking the shape of the underside of the upper course of the chevrons. The corridor extends approximately 9m. Stone blocks showing a vertical seam close off its southern end. We made the following recommendation to the ScanPyramids team: They should gather as much information from the endoscope and video observations as they could, such as the character of the masonry, size of the chamber, and any other construction details.

We think that the most probable function of the corridor is to relieve stress and weight from whatever structures lie below, including the opening and upper part of the descending passage around 7m below, similar to the function of the weight relieving chambers above the horizontal passage and chambers in the Meidum pyramid. We also note that the gabled blocks forming the ceiling of the newly found corridor distribute the weight down and to either side, away from the corridor. The ceiling of the Meidum weight-relieving chambers is corbelled rather than gabled.

Each period of ancient Egyptian history has a trend. If we look at the 4th Dynasty, we will see that its kings built 11 pyramids and the same for queens, and this means that the ancient Egyptian moved about 6 million stones, an indication certainly of the size of the economy at the time.

Furthermore, all the pyramids built during this period are remarkable because of the huge size of the stones used. However, just as there was an increase in the volume of the stones, there was a decrease in the size of the wall reliefs.

ART D’ÉGYPTE

101

In the 5th and 6th Dynasty many scholars believe that the decrease of the size of the stones was for economic reasons, but we also note an increase in the size of the wall reliefs. If we look at the pyramid of Sahure in Abousir, we will find that it was estimated that around 10,000 wall reliefs covered the pyramid complex. The cost of producing wall reliefs could possibly have been more than hiring workmen to move large stones. It’s possible then that the decrease in the size of the stones was due to the lack of good quality stones in these areas.

We can also see that the pyramids of the Middle Kingdom look like mounds of mudbrick but underneath there is a maze of corridors that is unbelievable.

When I visited the Pyramid of Amenemhet III at Dahshur, I asked the workmen to tie a string to my leg because I was afraid that I could get lost and lose my way inside.

We also must give credit to the genius architect Nefermaat who was Khufu’s cousin and who designed four pyramids for Senefru at Meidum, Dahshur, and Seila. His sons Hemiunu and Ankh-Khaf are the ones who designed the Great Pyramid at Giza. People are interested to reveal the secrets of Khufu’s pyramid, but I am sure that the pyramids at Dahshur are also remarkable. A French team was working inside the Pyramid of Senefru at Meidum. They are the ones who found the horizontal passage whose weight-relieving function we believe to be similar to the corridor found inside Khufu’s pyramid.

102

The Pyramid of Khufu has features that you cannot find in any other pyramids of the Old or Middle Kingdoms. It has three levels; the first level is located underground, and the passage ends in an unfinished chamber. It has about 2m of stones and a hole. All the Old Kingdom kings were buried under the pyramid except Khufu and his father Senefru. I found out that Khufu changed his cult.

Before, kings were Horus on earth and when they died, they became the Sun god. But Khufu in Year 5 of his reign, changed that cult and appointed himself as Re ‘the Sun god’. Then he abandoned the chamber under the pyramid and built his burial chamber inside the pyramid because he was the god. Also, he called his pyramid Akhet-Khufu, meaning ‘the horizon of Khufu’ and the one on the horizon in Re. I have around 12 pieces of evidence to support this theory. The second level is the so-called Queen’s Chamber, and it is 21m above ground and topped with a chevron shape. The third level is the King’s Chamber where the empty sarcophagus lies 43m above ground. It is topped with five relieving chambers and a chevron shape. The 2nd to the 5th chambers were inscribed with graffiti that contains the names of the work gangs involved in FOREVER IS NOW .03

the construction of the pyramid as well as reference to Year 10 of Khufu’s reign.

I began to prepare many projects to reveal the secrets of the pyramid. In 1986, we permitted a French team to drill in the western wall of the corridor that leads to the second burial chamber. The team conducted a micro-gravimetric survey. They claimed that there was an anomaly behind the west side of this corridor. A Waseda University team used non-destructive electromagnetic waves and claimed that they found a hollow located under the corridor leading to the second chamber.

In 1990-1991, I closed the pyramid to limit exposure to humidity and contacted Rainer Stadelman, then director of the German Archaeological Institute, to find a robotics expert to clean the airshafts inside it. Four so-called air shafts are cut in the body of the Great Pyramid. Pairs are found in the north and south walls of both the third and the second chambers. They extend towards the north and south and are approximately 20 x 20 decimetres in cross section. Those found in the third chamber exit to the outside. It is quite possible, however, that the limestone casing would have covered the exit and therefore blocked the shaft.

Noone has been able to discover exits to the outside for the sir shafts in the second chamber. The purpose of these shafts is a mystery to scholars.

The airshaft in the third chamber was discovered in 1819 when Captain Giovanni Caviglia dug a tunnel from the short passage located between the antechamber at the top of the Grand Gallery and the third chamber. When he breached the western wall of the short passage, he stumbled across the northern channel and followed it for about 1.5m to the north. In 1871, British engineer Waynman Dixon located the entrance to the shaft in the third chamber. Later, Scottish brothers John and Morton Edgar, non-conformists and authors of three biblically inspired commentaries on the Pyramid of Khufu, stated that the southern shaft extended horizontally for a few feet and then bent upward. Flinders Petrie thought that he might have located the southern exit shaft using binoculars. Goyon inserted an orange into the southern shaft from the exterior of the pyramid and waited to see if it would merge into the third chamber. When the orange never arrived, Goyon was able to state that there was something blocking the path inside the shaft.

In 1872, Dixon began a search for similar vents within the second chamber.

Unfortunately, they were nowhere to be found. Being an engineer, Dixon began to knock on the stone walls until he heard a hollow sound, then he cut a hole ART D’ÉGYPTE

103

in the rock. Today, when inspecting the northern shaft, one can clearly see the damage Dixon caused while searching for its exact opening. Dixon unearthed a copper implement often described as a hook from the shaft. It was located at the bottom of the southern shaft’s entrance among much debris. He also pulled out a wooden shaft and a piece of granite often described as a sculptor’s tool.

There are also accounts of Morton Edgar having inserted a metal rod into both shafts of the second chamber in the 1920s. He recorded a distance of 63m for the southern one, but the rod broke in the northern shaft.

In 1991-1993, Rudolf Gantenbrink developed a small robot called UPUAUT, the name of a god meaning ‘opening of the road’. Work began in March 1992 in the King’s Chamber. In March 1993, work extended to the second chamber. In the northern shaft, the robot reached 19m and could not go further because the chamber had been burned. In the southern shaft, the robot reached 53m and then 60m and stopped in front of a stone with two copper handles. In July and September 2002, National Geographic made a robot called Pyramid Rover who went into the shafts but stopped after several metres. We are now working with a team from England, and we hope that this year we will be able to see what may be hidden behind these stones.

104

The ScanPyramids Project has been working for seven years. In their first season, they held a press conference to announce that their work showed that some disturbance could be seen on the east face of the Great Pyramid. I wrote at the time that this could be because of the restoration that had taken place in this area. I became the scientific director and examined the results together with Mark Lehner and Miroslav Bárta. The project team said that they believed there was an anomaly behind the main entrance of the pyramid and other anomaly above the Grand Gallery, about 30m long. We asked them to do more work until they could give us more specific and accurate information. After further work, analysis of the results of the different techniques used showed that there was a corridor behind the chevron area, and we could determine its dimensions, direction, and shape. Hopefully, this is just the first exciting discovery. I do believe now that the real burial chamber of Khufu is still hidden inside the Great Pyramid.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

WALKING AMONG PHARAOHS: GEORGE A. REISNER, PIONEERING EGYPTOLOGIST Peter Der Manuelian

George Reisner examines a bronze vase with an ape on the handle top, from Meroe, Pyramid W 609, excavated in March 1923 (MFA 24.962), March 15, 1926. Private collection.

How many pyramids can one man excavate in a lifetime? Hundreds, it turns out, in addition to temples, tombs, settlements, and fortresses along the Nile.

One of Harvard’s first and most accomplished archaeologists, George Reisner (1867–1942) came to the university from his native Indianapolis to join the class of 1889. By the end of his career, he had dug 23 archaeological sites in Egypt and Sudan, revealing intricate gold jewellery, colossal statues, unique historical hieroglyphic inscriptions, carved and painted tomb chapel walls, and the countless everyday objects of the ancient Egyptians and Nubians (Sudanese).

Originally, Reisner’s focus was solely on the languages and cultures of the ancient Near East, and he earned his PhD under the country’s first Assyriologist, Prof. David Gordon Lyon. It was only subsequent postdoctoral work in Berlin that exposed him to the world’s foremost Egyptologists. A single year of ART D’ÉGYPTE

105

teaching back at Harvard was followed by an offer to join an international commission in Cairo to publish the collections in the Egyptian Museum.

Reisner and his wife Mary set off, ostensibly for a single year that stretched into forty more. In Egypt, philanthropist Phoebe Apperson Hearst offered him an entirely new career path: to learn archaeology ‘on the job’ for the University of California, Berkeley, and her new museum in San Francisco.

Cemetery G 2000 at Giza, looking southeast to the Khufu Pyramid, 1905.

HU–MFA B772 NS; photo by Albert Lythgoe. Courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

106

Reisner revolutionised archaeological method with rigorous deductive reasoning and meticulous documentation. His teams kept ‘dig diaries’ and register books, took 45,000 glass-plate photo negatives, and produced thousands of archaeological drawings. After first honing his new craft at sites in Middle Egypt, he jumped at the opportunity in 1903 to excavate the cemeteries surrounding the famous Giza Pyramids, just west of Cairo. He eventually cleared two-thirds of the site, including in 1925 the mysterious tomb of Queen Hetepheres (mother of Khufu), 30m (90 feet) underground. When Phoebe Hearst had to pull her funding in 1905, Reisner navigated the often-difficult politics in Boston and Cambridge to create the Harvard University–Boston FOREVER IS NOW .03

Museum of Fine Arts Expedition. Reisner was passionate about archaeology as a tool for historical research, and his family accompanied him on every dig.

In fact, his daughter Mary’s first exposure to a floor not made of dirt came only several years after her birth. His only hobby? Reading detective novels; he bequeathed his 2,000 volumes to Widener Library, and they shipped them home from the Giza Pyramids after his death.

Colourised with artificial intelligence: From left to right at Harvard Camp, Giza: George Reisner, Mary Reisner, Hansmartin Handrick (standing), Princess Ileana (white dress), Queen Marie of Romania (dark dress), and Miss Mary Reisner, March 17, 1930. HU–MFA A5423 NS; photo by Mohammedani Ibrahim. Courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Reisner’s discoveries multiplied during the tumultuous decades of British political control, French Antiquities Service control, and Egyptian quest for independence. There were tens of thousands of finds, including magnificent royal statues of King Menkaure at Giza and even a solution to the mystery of the great Sphinx. But funding was always tight up at the ‘Harvard Camp’ dig house west of the Khafre Pyramid, so Reisner gladly accepted the Egyptian government’s offer to survey cemeteries of ancient Nubia (modern Sudan) south of the First Cataract (or rapids), an area soon to be flooded due to the construction of the Aswan dam. This work opened his eyes to new archaeological frontiers, so from 1913 onwards he explored the powerful ART D’ÉGYPTE

107

Nubian kingdom of Kerma, and then the temples and pyramids by the holy mountain of Gebel Barkal, where he was the first to discover the hidden entrances to Nubian royal pyramid complexes. Additional royal Nubian cemeteries followed (Nuri, el-Kurru, Meroe), then he explored the many elaborate mudbrick Egyptian fortresses built to guard the southern border.

Colourised with artificial intelligence: The HU–MFA Expedition staff pose with Reisner and MFA director Harold Edgell at Harvard Camp, looking east, February 24, 1938.

Rayes Mohamed Said stands immediately to Reisner’s right, and his brother Mahmud Said is third to Reisner’s right (holding camera). HU–MFA A7924PA NS; photo by Mohammedani Ibrahim. Courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

108

The legal 50–50 division of finds in those days resulted in crates of antiquities transported to the Cairo Museum, to Khartoum, to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and to Harvard’s Peabody Museum. Reisner became professor of Egyptology at Harvard and curator of the MFA’s Egyptian Department.

But he rarely returned to Boston, even excavating right through World War I when all the other foreign missions shut down. The only blemish on this remarkable career was Reisner’s at times colonialist attitude. Although ahead of his time in championing the cause of his Egyptian workmen, he regrettably supported British control of the country. Worse, he could never quite embrace the existence of a great African civilisation in the Sudan, supposing the ancient Nubians to be displaced Libyans or Egyptians instead. In these FOREVER IS NOW .03

misinterpretations he was hardly alone, but his carefully compiled scientific record allows us to set aside those theories that are no longer tenable today.

After a final trip home to Boston for an honorary degree at Harvard’s 1939 commencement, Reisner died, blind and bedridden, at the Giza Pyramids in 1942, just as Rommel’s divisions threatened the Pyramids from the west.

Reisner’s greatest contributions remain his Pyramid-age work at Giza (see now http://giza.fas.harvard.edu) and his documentation of the cultures of the ancient Sudan. It is a tribute to Reisner’s work that almost all his archaeological sites that are still accessible, including of course Giza, are under renewed investigation today by new generations of archaeologists, armed with research questions made possible only by the solid foundations he laid.

Restored gravestone of George Reisner, American Cemetery, Cairo; December 24, 2022; photo by Greg Olson.

109

ART D’ÉGYPTE

#ANCIENTEGYPT

Christopher Noey Reprinted from the Forever Is Now.02 catalogue with the kind permission of the author.

For over 2,000 years, the monumental traces of ancient Egypt have humbled travellers along the Nile. In their presence, we find ourselves – archaeologist or artist, local Egyptian or curious visitor – staring into the immensity of history and wondering if ancient Egypt has a message for us. In the two centuries since the Rosetta Stone began to unlock the culture of ancient Egypt, and the sands revealed its treasures, we have asked, who were these people? What can they teach us? With each new archaeological discovery, we search not only for glimpses of that vanished world, but for clues to making sense of our own contemporary culture.

110

Much of the evidence for the culture of ancient Egypt comes from the tombs and memorial structures that elite patrons constructed to insure a safe passage into the afterlife. Labels at archaeological sites or in museums often tell us that we are witnessing daily life in ancient Egypt, but I approach these objects as extraordinary examples of installation art (even if there was no word for art or religion in this ancient culture). There is no doubt that this material can reveal much to us about life along the Nile millennia ago1. For example, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and various museums in Egypt contain near perfectly preserved models discovered in the Middle Kingdom tomb of Meketre2. Among them are tantalizing glimpses of the cattle census used for levying taxes (Fig. 1a), a granary at work (Fig. 1b), and the production of beer and bread (Fig. 1c).

FOREVER IS NOW .03

Alongside these quotidian depictions, other, more spiritual realms are represented. The models are also inhabited by a preponderance of priests with shaved heads attending to Meketre’s spirit, and some of the enchanting boats (Fig. 1d), while modelled on those that traversed the Nile, are transporting Meketre on his journey to the afterlife. The two statues found in the tomb that show women striding forward with offerings on their heads are both personifications of Meketre’s estates and, as evidenced by their sumptuous feather dresses (Fig. 1e), the funerary goddesses Isis and Nephthys who are on hand to protect the deceased. Viewed as a whole, the ensemble of models slides from concrete representations of daily life into the consecrated realm of the afterlife.

Fig. 1a Model of a Cattle Census.

The Egyptian Museum, Cairo, JE 46724.

Image courtesy of the author.

Fig. 1b Model of a Granary with Scribes. ©The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rogers Fund and Edward S. Harkness Gift, 1920.

111

Fig. 1c Model Bakery and Brewery. ©The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rogers Fund and Edward S. Harkness Gift, 1920.

ART D’ÉGYPTE

Fig. 1d Traveling Boat being Rowed. ©The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rogers Fund and Edward S. Harkness Gift, 1920.

112

Fig. 1e Estate Figure. ©The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rogers Fund and Edward S. Harkness Gift, 1920.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

Meketre’s tomb furnishings convey layers of meaning and are an immersive experience stitched together, like any great work of art, by flexible threads of interpretation as we ponder what is real and what is ideal. Long before installation art of the 1960s sought strategies to dissolve the line between art and life, these models suggest that for the ancient Egyptians, the everyday and the eternal were present simultaneously.

Fig. 2 Nebamun Hunting, Thebes, ca. 1350 BC. ©The Trustees of the British Museum

While we can learn a great deal about daily life from looking at Egyptian art, that is not to say that it is about daily life. The wall paintings from the New Kingdom tomb chapel of Nebamun now in the British Museum illustrate the point3. In a marsh teeming with birds and fish, Nebamun is on a papyrus boat hunting (Fig. 2). He is rendered with the usual conventions of Egyptian art: the shoulders and eye are seen head on; the head, legs, belly, and nipple are seen from the side; and in general, there is an acceptance of the physically impossible, such as positioning the arms with the back sides of both fists facing forward. In accordance with his status, Nebamun is much larger than both his daughter seated between his legs and his demure and sumptuously attired wife whose elaborate wig is considered an erotic signal. According to the hieroglyphic caption, Nebamun is ‘enjoying himself and seeing beauty’.

Depicting the head in profile resonates with authority; in the words of Isak Denison, ‘The profile is the true face of the king’, as does lifting his arms to recall the ‘smiting’ pose of a victorious pharaoh. We are not witnessing a ‘heroic’ encounter in which the outcome is in question but, one in which the outcome is a foregone conclusion4. This is an idealised setting where order ART D’ÉGYPTE

113

prevails over chaos: even the marsh reeds are bunched with exquisite precision except for the few that bend improbably to support a cat.

For the Egyptians, the marsh is a place of rejuvenation and rebirth, and the image pulses with life. It feels like a dream, and, very likely, it was wish fulfilment, because successful bureaucrats like the temple accountant Nebamun were more likely to spend their days working away in offices than hunting in the marshes5.

Fig. 3 Cast photo for the American television comedy Leave It to Beaver, ca. 1959. Image courtesy of the author.

114

But is it believable as a glimpse of daily life? No less believable than the imagery concocted for American television shows like Leave it to Beaver, a light comedy about family life in the 1950s and ‘60s in which the challenges, like Nebamun’s, are always overcome. These archetypes of domestic bliss were seductive in their time, if less convincing to contemporary eyes. Interestingly, only after revisiting Nebamun Hunting did I notice how the Leave it to Beaver father, Ward Cleaver, occupies the foreground of this 1959 photograph rendering him slightly larger than everyone else in the family (Fig. 3). Mrs. Cleaver’s pearl necklace is plausible, if improbable, for a housewife at home with her family. Are the pearls also sexy, in their own way, like the wig worn by Nebamun’s wife’s? Plus ça change…

When an image like Nebamun Hunting captures our imagination and rings true to us, what allows us to take that leap of faith when reason tells us to distrust the visual signs? Whatever prayers and incantations consecrated these images, it is probably the magic of harmonious proportions and artistic skill that still speaks to us across the millennia.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

They are what breathes life into these images and inspires us to ask, who were they? What did they love? We feel how powerfully they long for a rich afterlife. On the walls of a tomb, it becomes a reality.

From our contemporary perspective, the ancient Egyptian attention to the afterlife might seem obsessive. Today, we can experience an awe-inspiring silence in sites like Saqqara and the Pyramids, where the crowds of tourists are dwarfed by the monuments. Yet imagine how lively these places were thousands of years ago when they felt more like the business district of a busy city. Enormous building projects were underway, whether a pyramid complex for the current pharaoh or the tombs of the elite nearby; water and food supplies grown elsewhere were transported in for the workers; priests and the families of the deceased ‘commuted’ from their homes in Memphis, for example, to make offerings of food and to perform life-renewing rituals, both of which were augmented by the work of artisans whose wall decorations and furnishings would provide the deceased with everlasting sustenance in the hereafter.

Fig. 4 Image courtesy of the author

Ancient Egyptians, some as young as teenagers, began constructing their tombs as soon as they had the means. For elite patrons like Meketre or Nebamun, the wall decorations or furnishings were intended to provide safe passage and eternal supplies of abundance and pleasure in the afterlife. These spaces remind me of today’s social media where, beginning at a young age, participants construct a digital world that is more perfect, more exciting, more envy-inducing than the prosaic details of everyday life. However forthright the user of social media may be, there’s always a discrepancy between the digital

ART D’ÉGYPTE

115

and the real. A survey of Instagram posts – my own included – reveals images much like those on the walls of a tomb: beautiful destinations far away from the workplace, idealised poses, happy relationships, wondrous things that intrigue our imaginations, and far too many images of food (Fig.4). For many social media users, a good portion of the day is devoted to the care and feeding of these digital spaces that are as real to them as the tombs constructed for the afterlife were to the Egyptians. The desire for these ideal spaces transcends time and culture.

Admittedly, enormous differences separate our contemporary culture from the belief systems of ancient Egypt, where images were an essential component of the religion and could be activated to host a god or the spirit of the deceased, thereby influencing events in the terrestrial realm. But the Egyptian belief that creating an image can be an act that consecrates and eternalises has lived on in various ways. This has sometimes been a threatening proposition, given our history of iconoclasm and censorship in many forms. Yet the extraordinary power of images is exactly where my attraction to ancient Egypt, contemporary art, and even Instagram overlap: they allow me to enter a new space, spend time in the presence of heartfelt belief, and come away inspired to see the world in a new way.

[1] There is extensive literature on daily life in ancient Egypt, including Nora Scott, ‘The Daily Life of Ancient Egyptians’, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, v. 31, no. 3 (Spring, 1973).

116

[2] Recent discussions of finds from the tomb of Meketre, Thebes (ca. 1981–1975 BC) can be found in Adela Oppenheim, Dorothea Arnold, Dieter Arnold, and Kei Yamamoto, Ancient Egypt Transformed: The Middle Kingdom, (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2015).

FOREVER IS NOW .03

[3] Richard Parkinson, The Painted Tomb Chapel of Nebamun (British Museum, London, 2008) for a recent comprehensive study.

[4] David Graeber and David Wengrow, The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York, 2021), 414–418.

[5] Barry Kemp, Think Like an Egyptian: 100 Hieroglyphs (Penguin Group, New York, 2005), 23.

SAFEGUARDING THE ARTS: THE JOURNEY OF BARTA & PARTNER ART INSURANCE Nikolaus Barta & Philip Machat

In the world of art and creativity, there exists an oft-unnoticed aspect: the protection of invaluable treasures. Nikolaus Barta recognised this overlooked need and founded Barta & Partner, an art insurance-consulting company, in 1996. In this article, we explore the story behind this venture and the challenges he faced in navigating the insurance landscape.

Nikolaus Barta's path to success was rooted in innovative ideas and a deep understanding of the art world. In the 1980s, Nordstern was among the first companies to offer art insurance, but it proved insufficient as it only covered damages during transportation. Barta saw an opportunity and negotiated terms and conditions from scratch, tailored to address various types of art and the specific needs of high-net-worth clients. Trust, reliability, competence, and flexibility are critical factors in insuring valuable art and private property.

When it comes to insuring a work of art, finding the right balance between its market price and its subjective value to the owner is crucial. Nikolaus Barta underlines how important it is to take various factors into account, such as the artwork's current purchase value and the client's risk profile, which may include living situation, travel habits, and art collection practices. Art insurance holds significance not only for private collectors but also for artists, museums, galleries, and art dealers. Major art exhibitions often seek insurance coverage to safeguard valuable artworks and provide peace of mind to organisers, lenders, and collectors.

ART D’ÉGYPTE

117

Egypt, with its rich and diverse artistic heritage has captivated the world for centuries, drawing countless visitors to admire its breathtaking artefacts and timeless beauty. As the country continues to host remarkable art exhibitions, it becomes increasingly crucial to protect these valuable treasures against potential risks like theft.

One of the best-known cases of art theft was when the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci was stolen from the Louvre on 21 August 1911, leaving the art world in dismay and disbelief. The Mona Lisa, with her captivating smile and mysterious aura, had been residing in the Louvre since 1797. The protagonist of this daring heist was a rather unassuming man named Vincenzo Peruggia, an Italian handyman who had previously worked at the Louvre. Armed with insider knowledge, Peruggia hatched a cunning plan to steal the priceless painting and return it to Italy, believing it rightfully belonged there.

On that day, Peruggia entered the Louvre early in the morning, dressed as a museum employee. Concealing the small, 30 x 21-inch painting under his clothing, he brazenly walked out of the museum unnoticed. The absence of hightech security systems and the perception that the Mona Lisa was ‘safe’ in the Louvre likely contributed to the ease with which the burglary was carried out.

118

The theft was not discovered until the following day, sending shockwaves through the art community, and prompting an immediate manhunt for the missing masterpiece. The French police launched an extensive investigation, and the international press covered the incident extensively, adding to the growing fascination with the stolen artwork. As days turned into weeks and then months, the Mona Lisa remained elusive, and theories about its whereabouts and the motives behind the theft abounded. Some speculated that it had been taken by an art-loving eccentric, while others believed it was stolen to be ransomed for a hefty sum. The breakthrough in the case came in December 1913 when Peruggia attempted to sell the painting to an art dealer in Florence, Italy. The dealer, suspicious of the circumstances surrounding the ‘private sale’, alerted the authorities, leading to Peruggia's arrest. His plan to return the painting to Italy was revealed, and the Mona Lisa was joyously returned to the Louvre, welcomed back with a sense of relief and celebration.

This daring theft serves as a poignant reminder of the need to protect and safeguard priceless works of art. It highlights the vulnerability of such FOREVER IS NOW .03

irreplaceable treasures and raises crucial questions about the importance of insuring art.

‘Second to none insuring art’ is not only a slogan, it is the core element of Barta & Partner’s philosophy. Barta & Partner Art Insurance has been present on the Egyptian Market for 20 years. Together with his team, Nikolaus Barta has been responsible for the insurance of some of the most expensive artworks in the world, as well as international blockbuster exhibitions, notably f.e. all Tutankhamun exhibitions since 2004 and, most recently, the unique ‘Ramses the Great. The Gold of the Pharaohs’ exhibition in Paris. This level of international cooperation means that Barta offers a global insurance concept for your art, including worldwide loss handling.

Barta is traditionally committed to protection and preservation of works of art.

Art historians and insurance experts will advise you and your art collection will be regularly appraised and adjusted so as to constantly reflect its current market value.

Barta insures against All Risks - which includes risks that are generally not covered under conventional policies.

Curious?

Find out more on www.bartaart.com

119

ART D’ÉGYPTE

THE FUTURE OF ART

Thomas Girst Reprinted from the Forever Is Now.02 catalogue with the kind permission of the author.

When it comes to the visual arts and what I think of the future of the visual arts, I want to start off with the last book I wrote titled All the Time in the World.

It is about people taking their time, sometimes over decades, sometimes over centuries, and sometimes even over millennia. The French poet Charles Baudelaire wrote 150 years ago that we can communicate with each other through books, through the arts, through music, and across time. You pick up a book that was written 2,000 years ago, and it still may resonate deeply within you today. That is the power of the arts and the power of culture. One thing that got me to write this book about things taking time is a cartoon in an issue of The New Yorker that I picked up years ago. It's actually a little sad. There are two planets, and they're meeting. One of them is planet Earth. And the other is just a planet that turns to planet Earth and says, ‘What's wrong with you? You look sick’, and planet Earth says, ‘I got homo sapiens’. And then the other planet says, ‘Don't worry, it'll go away’.

120

We will go away, that is a fact … We’ve been here on this planet as we are today, for 40 of 50 thousand years, maybe a 100 thousand years. We will implode into the sun as it comes closer in about 5 billion years, but how long are we going to last as a species? The world will last, will we? So, while we are on this planet, I think there's a responsibility to protect what is beautiful.

When we think about ugliness, we think of it always expanding. And when I say ugliness, I mean war, pollution, patriarchy, nationalism, autocracy. I mean dictatorships and xenophobia, censorship, not being able to speak your mind; FOREVER IS NOW .03

all these things that we are confronted with every single day. I'm not saying that art is a moral compass, but art is something that no other being on this planet can accomplish and thrive in, but we as humans can since we are able to relate to others. We can express these relationships through a brush or through words and make that expression last. We can make other people understand an experience without living it themselves just by looking at somebody’s work, through the arts and through literature. This is where the strength of the arts comes from. When ugliness spreads, we need to protect beauty.

Art is about creating meaning, about creating something meaningful, not merely adding to the bling-bling of the 60+ billion-dollar art market. It’s one thing to post images on your social media channels; where you have been, what makes you happy, what you eat. Yet there is something the avantgarde artist Marcel Duchamp once referred to as the ‘solitary explosion of man facing himself alone’. We all know exactly what that feels like. That's how the artist in the studio feels. They shouldn't give up what they have just because they are seeking fame, want to sell fast, or be represented by a certain gallery.

After all, what is culture? It’s a refuge. A sanctuary of beauty and depth, of meaning and peace. A haven from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Having said that, we enjoy indulging in distraction far too much. This turbocapitalist ‘survival of the busiest’ leaves us frozen in a frenzied standstill.

Even though the current signs of the times call for us to pause, we prefer to continue to whirl around in blind activity. We should not want to adhere solely to the performance-driven creed of better, richer, more beautiful, more powerful. It is art that renders the invisible visible, as Fabio Mauri said — thoughts and feelings, impressions and experiences. None of us need ever be lonely, for we all stand on the shoulders of giants. We can send signals to each other like lighthouses along the coast at night. Across cultures and ages, just as Baudelaire described it. We really can communicate with each other through the accomplishments of art, music, and literature over decades, centuries, and even millennia. Culture is both an offering and a demand. Not necessarily for more morality, but for more empathy. A cantata by Bach might allow us to comprehend God, just as Dostoevsky’s Raskolnikov allows us to understand a murderer. And when the performance artist Marina Abramović and her partner Ulay walked toward each other along the Great Wall of China for four thousand kilometres over 90 days, only to separate forever in the moment they passed each other, then we know just how infinitely wonderful and devastating love can be.

ART D’ÉGYPTE

121

That said, I am very much aware that on average, only one in 100 art students will be able to live off their art. So, I always tell my students to get another job, which is fine. Not necessarily to fake it until you make it, but to get another job and do the arts on the side. I firmly believe in the ‘as well as’ and not in the ‘either/or’ approach to life. The German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once wrote that to be lightning, you have to be a cloud for a long time. That’s just beautiful because with everybody wanting to make an immediate impact, with everybody striving to be a bolt of lightning, they should know that they first must be a cloud. So, let's take the pressure off somewhat and focus a little more on what it is that we want, and what it is that we want to contribute.

Marshall McLuhan coined the phrase ‘Spaceship Earth’. At the time NASA announced their outer space program in the 60s, he argued that we are already in outer space and need not explore anything outside planet Earth. He said that ‘on spaceship earth, there's no passengers. There's only crew’. If we think of ourselves as crew members and not passengers, do we want to contribute to the ugliness, whichever way we define it, or do we want to contribute to beauty and with beauty, again, I don't mean that defined by a moral compass. I don't mean something that is just there for mere visual aesthetics or for pleasing the eye. It can be controversial and contentious. Art should lead us outside our comfort zone, it should question and broaden the parameters of our thinking.

This is what makes us so beautiful as human beings on this planet. I cannot be anything but optimistic.

122

‘Every future needs a past’ is what the German philosopher Odo Marquardt once said, and it's interesting how the focus of the arts is now on employing the latest advances in technology. This is something the arts has always done.

There is a lot going on in the digital realm, and art is no longer about wielding brushes. New things get picked up and old things get lost. Nobody today can paint today as well as, say, the Renaissance painters 400 years ago, but there's no longer the necessity of doing that. A lot of young artists are delving into new technology. Good artists make use of technology and not the other way around.

I was actually very happy to work with the great artist Cao Fei who created a BMW art car, adding to this amazing series of artists — from Andy Warhol to John Baldessari, from Jenny Holzer to the African Ndbele painter Esther Mahlangu — turning cars into art cars since 1975. Mahlangu created an art car not by turning an object of industrial design into an art object merely by painting the surface. She created an app and used augmented and virtual FOREVER IS NOW .03

reality. She created a video and music, all an integral part of what she considered her art car project. As a next step, we made all previous art cars available in the digital realm through an app that allows everyone to position those rolling sculpture anywhere, from the beach to the bathroom. We love to pay tribute to what is possible and only recently fed an algorithm 5,000 works of art of the past to create an ultimate AI masterpiece projected onto a car. This is just toying with what can be achieved. We always need to keep in mind what Hito Steyerl said: that when we talk about artificial intelligence, we also need to take into account artificial stupidity.

Another thing which I think of as a paradigm shift, at least for me, is that we brought art into the car, something that has never happened before. Cao Fei programmed something she called ‘Quantum Garden’ to be played as an art mode on the interior display of a car by the click of a button. It is rather beautiful and intricate with all these coloured lines looking like far away galaxies, almost breathing together and delving into each other and creating new circles and cycles of life and free-flowing energy.

Today, NFTs are in the red-hot centre of the art market, but to me, what matters is meaning and not so much surfing the next wave. I would advise younger artists to not only seek fame or fortune. And that is as much true for the artists themselves as it is for those who are looking at art, those who are buying, and those who are collecting. Ask yourself, what resonates deep within you? Let’s not limit the art and the artist by demanding exactly that same artwork that your best friend may proudly display on their wall at home. Maybe you can get to know the artist, maybe at a fair, maybe at an academy. Every museum director that I speak to around the world makes it very clear that when it comes to an audience, the future of an institution relies on that audience to be less affluent, less educated, and more diverse. I am a white middle-aged European male. The Eurocentric view of things that I grew up with is slowly giving way to a much more complex, much more heterogeneous perspective that considers other narratives. I also happen to believe that the future is female. This is also what I mean when I maintain how important it is to delve into other people's minds and to constantly broaden one’s horizon.

Marcel Duchamp said that ‘the great artist of tomorrow will go underground’.

Contemporary and future art is something we may not even see or comprehend as such because a lot of it is happening far from the trodden path. If you ART D’ÉGYPTE

123

are interested in the arts, and you are interested in your pursuit of what is important to you, you might come across things that nobody else might have heard of. This is what I mean when I say we strive to take on the new; this is what I mean when I say, let's open this one up as much as we can. I do not wish to believe what Udo Kittelmann, the former director of the Nationalgalerie Berlin, once said that ‘art will reach its limits because it keeps losing its magic’.

I would rather end on a positive note. Regardless of whether we talk about the year 2022 or the year 2220, the only journey that is worth undertaking is the one that is taking us deep down within ourselves. And that is sometimes the scariest place to go, but it's also the most adventurous. So be adventurous and don't think so much about parameters of how you define success. I do think that the visual arts have a great future ahead of them. Let’s not only protect but let’s also celebrate what makes us beautiful as human beings!

The above text is a transcript edited for clarity first published for an international audience as the inaugural BMW podcast 'The future according to…' on 31 March 2022.

124

FOREVER IS NOW .03

UNESCO CULTURE CONVENTIONS AND ART D’ÉGYPTE’S VISION Akatsuki Takahashi

Culture and Sustainable Development UNESCO, as the UN specialised agency with a global mandate on culture, is engaged in the achievement of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Paragraph 36 of the 2030 Agenda states, ‘We pledge to foster intercultural understanding, tolerance, mutual respect, and an ethic of global citizenship and shared responsibility. We acknowledge the natural and cultural diversity of the world and recognise that all cultures and civilisations can contribute to, and are crucial enablers of, sustainable development’. Enhancing the protection and promotion of the diversity of heritage and cultural expressions is fundamental to build inclusive, just, and peaceful societies.

In this regard, UNESCO conventions, recommendations, and declarations on heritage, arts, and culture play a pivotal role in providing the guidelines for policy development at all levels and serving as a platform for international cooperation. Altogether, these international instruments establish a holistic cultural governance system based on human rights and shared values.

Egypt is party to all key UNESCO culture conventions, and it has been actively engaged in the promotion and implementation of these instruments at the country level. The vision of Art D’Égypte and Forever Is Now is also in line with UNESCO conventions, recommendations, and declarations on heritage, arts, and culture, and has been contributing to their effective implementation.

ART D’ÉGYPTE

125

Forever Is Now: An Egyptian Initiative with International Dimensions In 2019, Art D’Égypte chose the World Heritage site of Historic Cairo as the venue for the 3rd edition of its contemporary art exhibition. Building upon the previous successful exhibitions (held at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo in 2017 and Manial Palace in 2018), leading artists put their inspirational exhibits on display at the selected historical buildings and spaces of al-Muizz Street. The tangible heritage of Historic Cairo can only be preserved if the historical architecture and buildings are maintained with the care and support of the community and given new functions for adaptive use in an evolving urban context. Art D’Égypte and the UNESCO Office in Cairo joined forces in organizing a workshop on the vibrant Muizz Street and brought together youth from the local community. The young participants engaged in participatory inventory-taking of the living heritage in different domains such as oral traditions, performing arts, social rituals, and traditional craftsmanship in the area and developed a better understanding of the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). The 2003 ICH Convention aims to safeguard the elements of our living heritage that provide us with a sense of identity and continuity by ensuring respect for it and for its community, raising awareness of its importance and mutual appreciation, and providing international cooperation and assistance.

126

In 2020, COVID-19 affected every aspect of our life. The creative sector was no exception. While people turned to culture as a source of comfort and connection during confinement and restriction of movement, artists and cultural professionals had to cope with the disruption of their professional activities and find a way to adapt to the cultural value chain affected by the pandemic. In response to this situation, the UNESCO/Art D’Égypte ResiliArt debate was organised in Egypt to allow leading Egyptian artists and cultural professionals to share information on the impact of the pandemic on the art and creative community and to discuss ways forward and necessary policy interventions and international cooperation initiatives by utilizing the platform provided by the UNESCO 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions 2.

The 2005 Convention places creativity, in its diverse manifestations, at the heart of a vision of a sustainable, participatory, and inclusive creative economy.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

It has a periodic reporting system under which states parties are requested to submit a country report on progress to UNESCO. Such reports are one of the important tools in monitoring the evolution of cultural policies. Egypt joined the 2005 Convention in 2007. The country report submitted by the Egyptian authorities to UNESCO in 2020 provides information on its policy framework and measures for its culture sector1 and stipulates that the 2014 Constitution of the Republic of Egypt recognises the necessity of protecting and promoting cultural diversity, as well as the need to protect freedom of creativity, stating, ‘freedom of artistic and literary creation is guaranteed.

The State shall undertake to promote art and literature, sponsor creators and protect their creations, and provide the necessary means of encouragement to achieve this end’. Under the framework of the Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS): Egypt Vision 2030, which recognises the central role of culture for sustainable development, the government’s strategy for culture has the following objectives: promoting positive values in society, achieving cultural justice, attaining cultural leadership, nurturing talents, developing cultural institutions, and preserving cultural heritage. The relevant line ministries and agencies have put in place diverse measures to support cultural professionals and the public at large to enhance participation in cultural life. For example, the Ministry of Culture’s ‘Cultural Leadership Program’ actively supports the movement of artists within Egypt and their travel to other countries.

In 2021, Art D’Égypte held the first edition of the Forever Is Now International Contemporary Art Exhibition on the Giza Plateau. This was the first-ever contemporary art exhibition held at the Pyramids of Giza, one of the most iconic World Heritage sites under the UNESCO 1972 World Heritage Convention.

The World Heritage Convention has its origin in the International Campaign to Save the Monuments of Nubia coordinated by UNESCO (1960-1980)2. At the request of the Egyptian and the Sudanese Governments, UNESCO launched an appeal to the international community to safeguard the monuments of Nubia that were threatened by the rising waters after the construction of the Aswan High Dam. The campaign successfully mobilised more than 50 member states and teams of archaeologists and experts who carried out salvage operations in the threatened areas and rescued 20 monuments and sites, including the Abu Simbel and Philae Temples. The determined and tangible actions to save the monuments of Nubia through international cooperation influenced the international community, leading to the adoption of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention in 1972. Several Egyptian sites of Outstanding Universal ART D’ÉGYPTE

127

Value (OUV), including ‘Nubian Monuments from Abu Shimbel to Philae’ and ‘Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur’ were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1979.

In 2021, within the framework of Forever Is Now, the contemporary art installed by leading artists with the Pyramids of Giza as a backdrop eloquently demonstrated the power of art and creativity. Recognizing that the goals of the event to promote tangible and intangible heritage and creativity were in line with the mission of UNESCO, the organisation headquarters in Paris decided to grant UNESCO patronage to the event. Forever Is Now, encompassing the contemporary art exhibition and associated educational workshops and events, attracted half a million visitors from Egypt and abroad, making a significant contribution to the recovery of the contemporary art scene and of tourism after COVID-19 and demonstrating the socio-economic contribution of culture to sustainable development.

Community activities undertaken in conjunction with Forever Is Now.02, 2022.

128

Activities for schoolchildren organised as part of Forever Is Now.02, 2022.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

In 2022, the 2nd edition of Forever Is Now made another leap, bringing together not only Egyptian but also regional and international artists from countries such as Cameroon, France, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Syria, UAE, UK, USA, etc. As a contribution to the 27th Conference of the Parties (CoP 27) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in November 2022 in Sharm El Sheikh, Art D’Égypte supported women cooperatives, youth, and volunteers from the City of Safi, Morocco, to produce an installation as part of ‘Liter of Light’, a global movement that uses readily available materials to provide high-quality solar lighting for people with limited or no access to electricity. At Forever Is Now.02, the synergy between culture and education was also enhanced. Under the Art Guides programme, over two hundred art students and art enthusiasts had the opportunity to acquire experience in the art scene and engage with and learn from the artists and experts. Moreover, numerous university students specializing in art and art management visited the exhibition site and interacted with the artists.

129

Global movement ‘Liter of Light’ illuminates Forever Is Now.02 with a solar-powered art piece.

ART D’ÉGYPTE

Investing in Culture as a Global Public Good The latest normative instrument in the culture sector, the UNESCO 2022 MONDIACULT Declaration was adopted by 150 states at the World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development - MONDIACULT 2022 - held in Mexico City in September 2022. The MONDIACULT Declaration affirms culture as a ‘global public good’ and provides a prospective overview of challenges and opportunities in terms of cultural policies and sustainable development in the years to come.

The MONDIACULT Declaration aims to foster the development of sustainable cultural and creative sectors to support the creative economy within Member States through the effective implementation of the UNESCO 2005 Convention and the UNESCO 1980 Recommendation: inter alia guaranteeing the social and economic rights of artists and cultural professionals, facilitating the mobility, and better regulating digital platforms and engaging them in a participatory dialogue. The MONDIACULT Declaration also reiterates the importance of enhancing synergies between culture and education, acknowledging the imperative of context relevant education, which encompasses cultural heritage, history, and traditional knowledge.

130

Thanks to the progressive and inclusive vision of Art D’Égypte, Forever Is Now has become a multi-disciplinary cultural platform that illustrates best practices in the integrated implementation of the international normative instruments of UNESCO as well as the UN, linking the past to the present and charting pathways for the sustainable future for everyone.

When we look at culture as a sector of the economy, the 2022 UNESCO Report Reshaping Policies for Creativity informs us that culture and creativity contribute 3.1% of global GDP and 6.2% of all employment3. The report also finds that culture is becoming more and more integrated across the policy spectrum owing to its socio-economic contribution. Despite this, the report finds that investment in culture has been declining over the last decade, and it FOREVER IS NOW .03

is of critical importance to enhance our efforts in increasing public investment and support mechanisms such as public-private-partnerships for the creation of a dynamic culture sector.

In order to contribute to the achievement of the SDGs and to tackle the post2030 agenda, which covers issues that range from climate change to poverty, inequality, the digital divide, and other concerns, it is hoped that we can continue to work together with Art D’Égypte, a champion for arts and creativity, to promote and operationalise the MONDIACULT Declaration and advocate for investing in culture as a global public good.

131 [1] Diversity of Cultural Expressions (unesco.org) [2] International Campaign to Save the Monuments of Nubia - UNESCO Digital Library [3] Re|shaping policies for creativity: addressing culture as a global public good; executive summary UNESCO Digital Library ART D’ÉGYPTE

FROM ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ART TO MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY EGYPTIAN ART Valérie Didier

When we foreigners think of Egypt, the first cliché images that spring to mind are its pyramids, its pharaohs, Cleopatra, the tombs of Luxor and Karnak, or perhaps the feluccas on the Nile River. In other words, we identify Egypt with its ancient cultural heritage dating from millennia ago, yet in many ways, Egypt's national identity only took shape during the 20th century, following the 1919 revolution led by Saad Zaghloul, paving the way towards independence from the British in 1922 and ultimately expelling the last British troops in 1956.

How do we reconcile these two identities, the ancient and the modern? It can be argued that Egyptian identity has in fact always existed, with an ‘eternal light’ that has somehow resisted centuries of foreign invasion and occupation and manifested in the modern Egyptian.

132

The core of Modern and Contemporary Egyptian art is deeply rooted in this unparalleled rich cultural heritage. Yet the modern or contemporary artist's challenge lies in how to transcribe social, political, and cultural issues of the present or simply portray contemporary daily life using up-to-date universal aesthetic means while incorporating visual motifs inspired by ancient Egypt.

Nada Shabout, author of the ground-breaking book Modern Arab Art: Formation of Arab Aesthetics (University of Florida Press, 2007), mentions another challenge for the modern Arab artist that she refers to as the 'artistic vacuum' in Egypt and the Arab diaspora. First there was ancient Egyptian, Mesopotamian, and Sumerian art, followed by early Christian and Coptic art, and later by

FOREVER IS NOW .03

Islamic art, but then there was a massive gap void of any new type of art until the end of the 19th century or early 20th century, when art institutions and schools were founded, very much under the influence of Western artists. And still, despite that artistic vacuum, the 'eternal light' descending from ancient Egyptian art continued to exist in essence but also through the vestiges of the past, the pyramids, temples, and tombs that survived the passing of time.

That 'eternal light' was fully reignited in what Liliane Karnouk refers to as the ‘Egyptian Awakening’ that came hand-in-hand with ‘al-Nahda’ or the ‘enlightenment’, in her seminal book Modern Egyptian Art 1910-2003 (The American University in Cairo Press, 2005). She describes this cultural phenomenon as being influenced by a series of events: the travel to Egypt by the Romantics seeking the original beauty of antiquity; the influx of the Orientalists who sought a new visual vocabulary through their travels in the – to them - exotic lands of the Middle East; the publication of Description de L'Égypte in 21 volumes in the wake of the Napoleonic expedition to Egypt in 1789; Jean-François Champollion's (1790-1832) deciphering of Egyptian hieroglyphs in 1822; the increasing number of acquisitions of Egyptian artefacts by leading European museums; and the excavation of many archaeological sites in Egypt, which climaxed in Howard Carter's discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922. According to Karnouk, all these events led to a renewed interest in ancient Egyptian art and to the cultural phenomenon of neo-Pharaonism.

All of the above confirm the omnipresence of the 'eternal light' that Modern Egyptian artists picked up on, creating a visual vocabulary that merged the ancient with the modern, and developing a universal interpretation of their unique past. The three most famous Modern Egyptian artists who brought a breath of fresh air to the 'eternal light' were the Cairene sculptor Mahmoud Mokhtar (1891-1934) and the two Alexandrian painters Mahmoud Saïd (18971964) and Mohamed Naghi (1888-1956). Mokhtar's landmark sculpture, ‘Nahdet Misr’ (‘Egypt's Awakening’) conceived in 1920 dominated Bab al-Hadid Square (today's Rameses Square) in front of Cairo railway station from 1928 to 1955 after which it was moved outside Cairo University, towering above the roundabout at the entrance. That monumental pink granite sculpture embodies and radiates the ‘eternal light’, as do Mokhtar's many sculptures of fellahas (Egyptian female peasants). In a similar way, Naghi made clear references to his ancient Egyptian heritage, often transposing classical European themes ART D’ÉGYPTE

133

into ancient Egyptian contexts, epitomised by his monumental and almost hieroglyphic masterpiece La Renaissance de l'Éqypte (or Le Cortège d'Isis) executed in 1922 and now housed inside the Chamber of the Upper House of Parliament in Cairo. Mahmoud Saïd's references to his ancient Egyptian roots were perhaps more subtle yet they permeate his entire oeuvre, whether through a felucca on the Nile River, a graceful fellaha carrying an amphora, or even in his pyramidal compositions, resonating with the grandeur of ancient Egyptian monuments. The pivotal role of these three pioneers of Modern Egyptian art is further highlighted by the fact that all three were commissioned to create works for the Egyptian pavilion of the 1937 Paris Exposition Universelle (officially the ‘Exposition internationale des arts et des techniques appliqués à la vie moderne’) by the pavilion's general commissioner, Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil (1877-1953).

There, the works of these great Modern Egyptian masters were exhibited side by side with ancient Egyptian artefacts, just as today, Art D'Égypte juxtaposes Egyptian and international artworks against the majesty of the Pyramids of Giza in the Forever Is Now annual exhibition series. Naghi's and Said's paintings and Mokhtar's iconic sculptures taught future generations of Egyptian artists to search for inspiration in their own nation's past in order to celebrate their identity; today, Art D’Égypte brings the artists of the world to Egypt to seek inspiration and radiate that ‘eternal light’ to the world in a celebration of our common humanity and our shared future.

134

FOREVER IS NOW .03

SALAH AL-DIN CITADEL: A BRIEF HISTORY

The Salah al-Din Citadel complex, circa 2000.

Photographer unknown.

The Salah al-Din Citadel in Cairo has been an important structure for centuries, playing a crucial role in the defence of Cairo and serving as the residence of numerous leaders who ruled over Egypt. From its origins in the Ayyubid era to the additions of the Mamluks, this fortress has witnessed the rise and fall of empires. It was constructed in the 12th century by the Kurdish Ayyubid leader Salah al-Din as a fortress designed to protect Cairo from the invading Crusader armies. Its strategic location on a promontory overlooking the city made it an ideal defensive structure, protecting the city from forces invading from the sprawling desert. Today, the Citadel stands as a testament to the city's rich history and cultural heritage and is recognised as a symbol of Islamic ART D’ÉGYPTE

135

architecture and engineering. One of the most impressive structures in Egypt, its history is a remarkable account of the city's journey through different eras and distinct architectural styles, serving as a reminder of the city's rich past and enduring legacy.

The Ayyubid Period

The exterior of Yusuf's Well, 2023; photo

by Ahmed Mansour.

136

Salah al-Din chose this location to erect a fortress that would serve as a fortified sanctuary, an administrative centre, and a residence for the sultanic family and the military elite. Unlike previous Fatimid residences, the Citadel was not associated with religious rituals. Rather, its primary functions were military and administrative in nature. Al-Malik al-Kamil was the first ruler to take up residence at the Citadel, even though it was Salah al-Din who ordered its construction. Qaraqush, Salah al-Din’s minister, continued the construction and finished most of the walls of the existing Northern Enclosure. He was also responsible for digging Yusuf's Well, named after Salah al-Din whose first name was Yusuf. It is considered a feat of engineering as it descends nearly 90 meters into the bedrock of the Muqattam Hills. Al-Kamil established the Citadel's general layout for the coming centuries: the northern part was designated as the fortified military area, while the southern portion housed the sultan's private and official quarters.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

The Mamluks and Their Expansions After the decline of the Ayyubids, the Mamluks came to power in Egypt, beginning with Shajar al- Durr, the first Mamluk ruler and widow of the last Ayyubid sultan. The Mamluks ruled over Egypt and Syria for over three hundred years. During their reign, they made significant improvements and expansions to the Salah al-Din Citadel, leaving a formidable architectural legacy and transforming it into a vast complex.

The Citadel’s prominent architectural features were established during the reign of Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun. He played a significant role in its design and reconstruction, simultaneously changing the habits of court life. It served as a place for the sons of the sultans and the soldiers to receive a religious and military education. The al-Nasir Muhammad Mosque served as the prominent royal mosque and remains the only fully intact Bahri Mamluk structure still standing within the complex, excluding the marble cladding that was stripped from its walls during the Ottoman period and sent to Constantinople. It is characterised by a simple square layout, a large green tiled dome, artistic integration of ancient Egyptian and Ptolemaic-era columns, and arcades adorned with white and red stone voussoirs.

137

Courtyard and dome of al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun Mosque, 2023; photo by Ahmed Mansour.

ART D’ÉGYPTE

The ruins of the Great Iwan of al-Nasir Muhammad, as seen in the mid-19th century; illustration by Robert Hay, 1840.

The residential complex was located in the Southern Enclosure, while the military structures were predominantly found in the Northern Enclosure, established during the Ayyubid period.

138

Within the Southern Enclosure, there were two distinct sections. One part consisted of a ceremonial complex comprising a mosque, iwan (hall), palace, and stables. The other part included the harem and the courtyard (housh).

The housh served as the non-ceremonial private area of the residence, where the sultan's wives and children lived. As the palace and iwan declined in importance during the 15th century, the housh assumed their functions. It comprised a series of palaces and residences with multiple courtyards, as well as a polo field where the sultan would engage in competitive games with distinguished members of the court. Over time, the private nature of this housh gradually changed as it became the preferred reception area for sultans. As a result, al-Nasir's once bustling palaces fell into disuse and ruin.

One of the most important buildings during the reign of al-Nasir was the Great Iwan, which served three crucial functions. First, it was the focal point of the mawkib, a parade or procession where the sultan reviewed his Mamluk forces. Second, it functioned as a reception hall for important guests and FOREVER IS NOW .03

ambassadors. Lastly, it served as the Dar al-Adl (House of Justice), hosting the sultanic tribunal. It was also a significant location for the investiture of sultans, where the sons and successors of al-Nasir were appointed. The Great Iwan remained intact until the early 19th century and was luckily documented in detail in the Description de l'Égypte and by other European savants before its destruction. Much like the mosque of al-Nasir, part of the iwan was constructed using reused granite columns.

Taking inspiration from the Striped Palace in Damascus built-in 1264 by alZahir Baybars, al- Nasir built Qasr al-Ablaq in 1313. Its name originated from the architectural technique ablaq involving alternating rows of light and dark stone for the construction of the exterior walls. Much of the palace has fallen into ruin. It was once connected to the Great Iwan through a passageway and offered an uninterrupted view of the Hippodrome, horse market, and stables located in what is now known as the Lower Enclosure. In medieval societies, horses were considered one of the most valuable possessions, particularly amongst the military classes. Only the upper tiers of the military and aristocracy could afford them. Although the stables were located outside the main Citadel enclosure, they remained strategically connected to it, highlighting their significance in day-to-day life.

Unfortunately, most of the medieval residences in the Citadel have disappeared over time, leaving very little of the once opulent and populated Mamluk palatial complexes. The only remaining structure still standing in its entirety is the congregational mosque built by al-Nasir Muhammad. Most of the Mamluk structures were demolished by Muhammad Ali during his overhaul of the Citadel complex in the early 1800s. Recent archaeological findings have been reinforced by textual references allowing us to paint a more vivid picture of what court life and the structure of the Citadel may have looked like preceding Muhammad Ali’s architectural intervention.

139

The Ottoman Era During the 1500s, Egypt fell under the domination of the Ottoman Empire.

The Ottomans held power for over three hundred years and their influence can still be seen in Citadel architecture with domes and minarets that resemble those found in Istanbul's prominent mosques. The mosque of Suleiman Pasha, constructed in 1528 by Suleiman Pasha al-Khadem, the governor of Ottoman ART D’ÉGYPTE

Egypt, was the first and most stylistically pure Ottoman mosque in Cairo.

It was constructed in the northern area, replacing the older mosque, built on the site in the 1100s by Fatimid governor Abu-Mansur Qasta and dedicated to Sidi Sariyya.

Suleiman Pasha al-Khadem Mosque undergoing restoration, 2023; photo by Ahmed Mansour.

140

During the Ottoman period, the Citadel was divided into separate and somewhat autonomous sections, each with its own administration. The Northern Enclosure, established by Salah al-Din, housed the Janissaries' barracks, where the regular troops were stationed. The Lower Enclosure, including the stables and surrounding areas, served as the residence for the locally recruited troops known as al-Azab. Bab al-Azab, located in the latter area, was not newly constructed but rather rebuilt in the Ottoman period on the site of an older Mamluk gate, and served as the main entrance to where al-Azab troops were stationed within the complex. During Muhammad Ali’s dynasty, the interior facade of the gate was renovated incorporating Gothic elements.

The exterior facade was constructed to look like one of the prominent Fatimid gates of Cairo, Bab al-Futuh, constructed in 1087. The once great iwan of the Mamluk period and Qasr al-Ablaq were neglected and abandoned during this time as the Ottoman governor and his troops took residence in the housh and the contiguous area in the Southern Enclosure.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

Muhammad Ali Pasha & His Dynasty One cannot mention the Salah al-Din Citadel without recalling the infamous slaughter of the Mamluks. To ensure the removal of any political adversary or opponent looking to challenge his right to rule, Muhammad Ali ordered an ambush and executed the remaining Mamluk amirs and their entourages as they were leaving a banquet he had arranged in their honour. This event is believed to have taken place in the rock-cut path known as Darb al-Sultan, which begins at the present location of Bab Katkhuda and continues to the Southern Enclosure wall near al-Bab al-Wastani.

Interior of Muhammad Ali Pasha Mosque, 2023; photo by Ahmed Mansour.

Over the course of Muhammad Ali Pasha’s reign, various modifications were made to the Citadel, including the construction of the iconic Mohammad Ali Pasha Mosque in the 19th century. It was designed to intentionally resemble early Ottoman mosques in Istanbul to challenge the sultan's rule and underscore Egypt’s desire for independence. Overlooking the mosque courtyard stands an ornately crafted clock tower, contrasting with the medieval stone walls of the Citadel. This clock was gifted to Muhammad Ali by the king of France, Louis Philippe, in exchange for the obelisk of Rameses II, which ART D’ÉGYPTE

141

still stands in Place de la Concorde in Paris today. A new road was built to accommodate carriages along with new gates including al-Bab al-Jadid and the reconstruction of Bab al-Qulla. Other notable constructions during Muhammad Ali’s reign include al-Gawharah Palace in the Southern Enclosure and the Palaces of the Harem in the Northern Enclosure, composed of three different buildings that served several functions. The Eastern Palace is the biggest of the three and the most opulent. It was originally built as a home for orphans from influential families, who were indoctrinated to become officers in Muhammad Ali’s formidable new army. The Palaces of the Harem were renovated and now serve as the Military Museum honouring Egypt's military history.

The Citadel continued to serve as the seat of government for Muhammad Ali's family and descendants until 1874 when Ismail Pasha built Abdin Palace and relocated there. Today, most of Muhammad Ali's structures still stand including Dar al-Darb (the mint) and several army barracks, giving the Citadel a predominantly late Ottoman and European-inspired architectural identity.

The British Occupation

A view of Burj al-Muqattam and the British encampments in the Northern Enclosure, circa 1920.

Photographer unknown.

142

In 1882, Egypt was occupied by the British, who ruled over the country until 1956. They used the Citadel as their base of rule because it had been Egypt's seat of power for over six hundred years and was of considerable military significance. The British set up military barracks and made several modifications to the Citadel’s structure reassigning spaces depending on their day-to-day needs. This included the addition of a gunpowder magazine, a maternity hospital, and a handful of cricket and tennis courts. The Egyptian army took control of the Citadel from the remaining British troops in 1946.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

The Citadel Today

Ablutions fountain located in the courtyard of the Muhammad Ali Pasha Mosque, 2023; photo by Ahmed Mansour.

The Egyptian Antiquities Organisation (EAO) took over the Citadel from the army in 1983, after realising its potential as a highly appealing touristic destination and fertile ground for scholars and archaeologists. Although some excavations have been conducted within the past few decades, the Citadel remains largely unexplored. What has been discovered has allowed for a more comprehensive understanding of the Citadel during the periods preceding that of Muhammad Ali Pasha. There are still undiscovered sections within the northern and southern enclosures of the Citadel that contain underground remnants of Mamluk and possibly Ayyubid structures. By exploring these sections, we can piece together the incomplete history of the Citadel.

Today, the Citadel is opening its gates, welcoming visitors to step inside, as it unveils its numerous layers, unravelling the threads that connect the past with the present. With a focus on providing authentic experiences and captivating storytelling, the Citadel is poised to become a top destination for a variety of individuals and communities including independent travellers, scholars, and families. Furthermore, the Citadel will serve as a platform for Egypt's contemporary creative community, a haven for artists, designers, and innovators to grow and exhibit their work to the world beyond its walls.

References: Alsayyad, Nezar. Cairo: Histories of a City. The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts and London, England, 2011.

Behrens-Abouseif, Doris. Cairo of the Mamluks: A History of the Architecture and Its Culture. The American University in Cairo Press. Cairo, Egypt.

2007.

Behrens-Abouseif, Doris. ‘The Citadel of Cairo: Stage for Mamluk Ceremonial’, in Annales Islamologiques, Issue 24, 1989, p. 25-79.

O’Kane, Bernard. The Mosques of Egypt. The American University Press. Cairo, Egypt. 2016.

Rabbat, Nasser. The Citadel of Cairo. 2nd Edition, Supreme Council of Antiquities, 2009.

ART D’ÉGYPTE

143

CONTRIBUTORS in order of appearance in the catalogue

Zahi Hawass is a world-renowned archaeologist whose dynamic personality and extensive knowledge have sparked global interest in ancient Egypt. His archeological discoveries include the Valley of the Golden Mummies and the Tombs of the Pyramid Builders, among many others. He recently announced the discovery of the Lost Golden City in Luxor and is currently excavating in the Valley of the Kings in search of the tomb of Queen Nefertiti. He received his MA and PhD from the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied as a Fulbright fellow. He has received countless awards including 9 honorary doctorates as well as an Emmy for his work in television. He began as an inspector of antiquities and rose to become the Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities as well as the first Minister of State for Antiquities. He has written more than 40 books and over 150 scholarly articles, including his most recent book, Zahi Hawass’s Secret Egypt.

Peter Der Manuelian is Barbara Bell Professor of Egyptology, and director of the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East. He is Director of the Giza Project (http://giza.fas.harvard.edu), which presents online past, present, and future archaeological activity at the Giza Pyramids. His interests include visualisation and digital humanities approaches to the ancient world. His publications include Digital Giza. Visualizing the Pyramids; Mastabas of Nucleus Cemetery G 2100; Slab Stelae of the Giza Necropolis; Living in the Past: Studies in Archaism of the Egyptian Twenty-sixth Dynasty; and Studies in the Reign of Amenophis II. His most recent publication is Walking Among Pharaohs. George Reisner and the Dawn of Modern Egyptology.

Photo: Jackie Neale

144

Christopher Noey is an art historian, author, and Emmy award-winning producer of films on art and culture. On the staff of the Metropolitan Museum of Art for thirty-four years, he created media installations for a diverse array of exhibitions and was the series director on the innovative online features 82nd & Fifth and The Artist Project. An expert in Asian and Islamic art, Mr Noey has taught at Williams College and at the City College of New York. He is the author of The Artist Project: What Artists See When They Look at Art (Phaidon, 2017).

Barta & Partner Art Insurance has been present on the Egyptian Market for 20 years. Together with his team, Nikolaus Barta has been responsible for the insurance of some of the most expensive artworks in the world, as well as international blockbuster exhibitions. For additional information please refer to the Sponsors section (p. 131).

FOREVER IS NOW .03

Photo: ©BMW

Prof. Dr. Thomas Girst has been the Global Head of Cultural Engagement at the BMW Group since 2003. While living in New York between 1995 and 2003, Girst was foreign cultural correspondent for a German daily as well as the head of the Art Science Research Laboratory under the directorship of Stephen Jay Gould, Harvard University. Girst is also a lecturer at various international universities and academies. As a curator, he has organised many exhibitions both in the US and Europe. In 2016, Girst received the ‘European Cultural Manager of the Year’ award. He is the author of many books which have been translated into numerous languages, among them Art, Literature, and the Japanese American Internment, The Duchamp Dictionary and Alle Zeit der Welt.

Cultural Management: A Global Guide will be published in 2023.

Akatsuki Takahashi is the Programme Specialist for Culture at the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Sciences in the Arab States in Cairo (Egypt). Previously she worked at UNESCO HQs in Paris (France) and the UNESCO Field Offices in Apia (Samoa) for the Pacific Island developing states and Venice (Italy) for the Balkan region. She has obtained a PhD in Disaster Risk Management of Cultural Heritage from Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto (Japan). She is also the author of the publication Make the World Heritage as the Defense of Peace.

She is a member of ICOMOS and ICOM. Valérie Didier is a specialist and writer on impressionist and modern art, currently working as Director, Business Development for the Christie’s Middles East office where she has been in charge of the bi-annual sales of Modern and Contemporary Arab, Iranian & Turkish Art. During her time in Dubai, she developed an academic passion for modern Egyptian art. Following the success of the Mahmoud Saïd Catalogue Raisonné (Skira, 2016), co-edited with Dr Hussam Rashwan, the first book of its kind for a Middle Eastern artist, Valérie Didier and Dr Hussam Rashwan will be launching the second catalogue raisonné on an Egyptian artist, Abdel Hadi al-Gazzar (1925–1966) on 7 November 2023 at Christie’s London. Valérie is also working with Dr Rashwan on the enhanced reissue of Aimé Azar’s seminal book Modern Painting in Egypt 145 which Valérie translated into English, and which will be published by Editions Norma, Paris, in two volumes early 2024. Didier graduated from Cambridge University with a BA in art history (2004), and from the Courtauld Institute of Art, London with a master’s degree in art history (2005).

The Salah al-Din Citadel continues to be an international beacon of heritage and culture, and an essential destination for both tourists and locals in Egypt.

From its heart, a contemporary culture emerges, fostering social, cultural, and economic partnerships. For additional information please refer to the Sponsors section (p. 132).

ART D’ÉGYPTE

HONORARY CURATING BOARD Rose Issa is a curator, writer and producer who has championed visual art and film from the Middle East and North Africa in the West for more than 30 years.

She lives in London since 1986, showcasing upcoming and established artists and producing exhibitions and film festivals worldwide. Founder of Beyond Arts and Rose Issa Projects she has curated exhibitions based on dozens of published catalogues and monographs. Her most recent joint publications include Signs of Our Times; From Calligraphy to Calligrafitti; and Arabicity.

Umbereen Inayet, a name resonating with cultural heritage, is the great granddaughter of Hafeez Jalandhari, the visionary poet who penned the timeless lyrics of Pakistan’s national anthem. She is a multi-award winning TEDx speaker, storyteller, curator, and producer with a master’s degree in social work and a BA in Cultural Anthropology and Women’s Studies. Her 15-year career bridges pop culture, social work, and contemporary art. As a creative lead at Nuit Blanche and Toronto History Museums, City of Toronto; the Jeddah Art Promenade; and Drake’s Boy Meets World Tour, Inayet has worked with notable artists such as Daniel Arsham, eL Seed, JR, Director X, Floria Sigismondi, Hank Willis Thomas, DRIFT, Janet Echelman, KWEST, Philip Beesley, Drake, Mustafa, Swizz Beatz and more.

Valérie Didier is a specialist and writer on impressionist and modern art, currently working as Director, Business Development for the Christie’s Middles East office. For an extended bio, please refer to the Contributors section (p.117).

STEERING COMMITTEE 146

The Steering Committee was established to provide support for Art D'Egypte's different endeavors. Led by Nora Al Kholi, the committee is composed of experts in different fields united by their passion for art and Egyptian heritage and dedicated to the promotion of the Egyptian art ecosystem on the global stage.

Art D’Égypte would like to express its gratitude to Venus Al Rayes, Youssef Mansour, and Sherine Ghanem for the invaluable guidance they provided as committee members.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

HONORARY ADVISORY BOARD Ali Khadra is the founder and publisher of Canvas and Sorbet magazines. A keen collector of contemporary art, in 2003, the French-Lebanese Khadra founded the boutique publishing house Mixed Media Publishing and launched its flagship title, Canvas, the premier art and culture magazine in the Middle East and Arab world and a major catalyst on the global art scene. Its sister magazine, Sorbet, is a themed quarterly exploring the interface of culture, lifestyle, fashion, and affluence. Khadra has served as the regional consultant for Christie's, as a patron of Tate Modern, and has sat on the committees of various art organisations, including the Prix Pictet, the Magic of Persia, Nuqat, the Beirut Art Residency, and the V&A's Jameel Prize.

Christiane Abdalla is one of Egypt’s foremost art patrons and co-owner of MARMONIL, an Egyptian industry leader in the supply of marble and granite. For an extended bio, please refer to the Patrons section (p.124).

Hussam Rashwan is one of Egypt’s foremost collectors of Egyptian modern art. He is also a scholar who plays a vital role in preserving its history by undertaking and supporting research projects and helping researchers around the world. His outstanding collection of literary references related to Egyptian modern art and his unparalleled knowledge have placed him at the pinnacle of Egypt's elite academic art circle, and he is considered an invaluable resource by art collectors, leading academics, major institutions, and curators the world over. Together with Valérie Didier, he has co-authored a catalogue raisonné of the entire oeuvre of Mahmoud Saïd, one of the catalysts of Arab modern art.

Karim El Chiaty is the vice chairman of Travco Group, a travel and hospitality conglomerate with presence in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. He is also the founder of Travco Properties, the group’s luxury real estate development arm with its flagship Almaza Bay project on Egypt’s North Coast. He is an avid collector of post-war and contemporary art and has actively supported many international museum exhibitions. He is a member of the World Economic Forum and co-chair of the forum’s Gender Gap Accelerator, a public private leadership platform that aims to reshape gender parity post COVID-19.

Laurent Le Bon is a French Conservateur général du patrimoine. After overseeing public art commissions for the Ministry of Culture, he was curator at the Musée national d’art moderne-Centre Georges Pompidou from 2000 to 2010 where he curated over fifty wide-ranging exhibitions including Dada at the Centre Pompidou in 2005, Jeff Koons Versailles at the Château de Versailles in 2008, Jardins at the Grand Palais’s Galeries nationales and Dioramas at the Palais de Tokyo both in 2017, and Picasso. Blue and Rose at the Musée d’Orsay in 2018. He has previously served as director of the Centre PompidouMetz (2010–14), and as president of the Musée national Picasso-Paris (2014–21). Since 2021,he has been president of the Centre national d’art et de culture-Georges Pompidou.

ART D’ÉGYPTE

147

Mary & Bishoy Azmy are passionate art collectors and the founders of the Gratus Collection which brings together dozens of pieces of Egyptian art from different eras. For more information about the Gratus Collection, please refer to the Patrons section (p. 122).

Mounir Neamatalla is a man who is passionate about his dreams, pursuing them with single-minded devotion until they become reality. He started his professional life driven by a mission to succeed in creating environmentally and socially sensitive enterprises. The result was Environmental Quality International (EQI), the first consulting enterprise of its nature in the Middle East and North Africa region, founded in 1981. He remains deeply committed to the guiding principles of the company he founded more than 30 years ago and believes that it is the spirit of entrepreneurship at the smallest scale that has preserved the cities of the region for centuries as thriving centres of world trade, finance, and culture.

Peter Der Manuelian is Barbara Bell Professor of Egyptology at Harvard University and director of the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East. For an extended bio, please refer to the Contributors section (p. 116).

Rasheed Kamel is an attorney at law and one of Egypt’s foremost supporters of the arts. He started collecting art at university over 20 years ago and is particularly interested in modern, contemporary, and conceptual pieces. For an extended bio, please refer to the Patrons section (p.124).

148

Yannick Lintz has held many positions during her prominent career, including advisor for museums and heritage to then French Education minister Jack Lang. She was appointed head of the Islamic Art Department at the Louvre in 2013, a position she held until 2022 when she was appointed director of the National Museum of Asian Art – Guimet by French president Emmanuel Macron. A foremost specialist of Iranian and Islamic arts, she has curated numerous international exhibitions such as Medieval Morocco and Splendours of the Uzbek Oases at the Louvre Museum. Her involvement in major cultural diplomacy initiatives has translated into several large-scale and groundbreaking projects with Arab countries, Central Asia, and Iran.

Zahi Hawass is a world-renowned archaeologist whose dynamic personality and extensive knowledge have sparked global interest in ancient Egypt. For an extended bio, please refer to the Contributors section (p. 116).

FOREVER IS NOW .03

PATRONS PLATINUM The Bseiso Middle Eastern Art Collection by Rabie Bseiso and Joumana Mourad is a captivating journey through the rich tapestry of modern artistic expression from this diverse and culturally vibrant region. This thoughtfully assembled collection of 500 artworks showcases a carefully selected array of masterpieces created by visionary artists who have shaped the modern art landscape of the Middle East. With a focus on bridging tradition and innovation, the collection captures the essence of Middle Eastern identity while exploring the complexities of cultural intersections and global dialogues and shedding light on the deep-rooted connections between art, history, and spirituality while addressing issues of identity, displacement, and socio-political dynamics. The carefully curated collection fosters cross-cultural understanding, inviting viewers to embark on a visual and emotional voyage that transcends geographical boundaries.

Joumana Mourad is a famous actress and producer who has been working in the Arab world for the past 20 years. She is married to Dr Rabie Bsieso. They have two children, Mohamad and Ali, and live between London, Cairo, and Dubai. Born in Syria, she obtained a degree in English literature before moving to the United Kingdom where she graduated from the Actors Centre in London. She has appeared in over 37 television series, produced four, and acted 10 feature films. She has also headed and participated in numerous international film festival juries including Algeria, Belgium, and Oman and has received multiple awards from various festivals, press agencies, magazines, and other media organizations. She is very active in the humanitarian field and supports many agencies in different sectors. Joumana’s passion for art and collecting started over 20 years ago and her passion for art has become part of her life, making her one of the foremost collectors of modern and contemporary art in the Middle East, particularly Egyptian and Syrian art. Her favourite artists are Abdel Hadi Al Gazzar from Egypt and Luai Kayyali from Syria for whom she owns one of the biggest art collections in the world.

Rabie Bsieso is a Jordanian/ Palestinian born in Beirut in 1971. He holds an LLB in law, two diplomas and an LLM in law, and two PhDs, one in international commercial law from Egypt and a second in international busines s administration from the USA. He worked as a law and business professor in Al-Quds university for three years. As a Palestinian diplomat, he has represented the State of Palestine in the Organisation of the Islamic Conference and held the position of permanent observer to the Arab league and the United Nations for eight years. He is also the CEO of Bsieso Consulting Group, an international law group with eight offices around the world. He is a passionate collector, most notably of watches and sports cars of which he has an impressive collection. His love of art developed thanks to his wife Joumana Mourad. As a couple, they have been collecting art ever since they got married. In the past few years, they have focussed on Syrian and Egyptian art, amassing a very important collection with over 500 pieces including many rare masterpieces.

ART D’ÉGYPTE

149

Youssef Ismail Mansour is a young collector who is passionate about art and culture and views art as a valuable asset and a testament to human creativity. For Youssef collecting art is not just about acquiring beautiful objects, but also about investing in the cultural heritage of humanity. It is his way of participating in the dialogue that art creates and preserving the stories of our time for future generations. He is now embarking on a project to turn his private space into a museum by creating a sculpture garden of artworks created for the Forever Is Now exhibitions at the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Giza Plateau. This ambitious endeavour will feature a range of artworks from international artists inspired by the unique history of the ancient Egyptian civilisation together with the ever-changing social background and modern Egyptian culture. Through his tireless pursuit of the best and most valuable pieces, Youssef is writing his own story. He is committed to growing his collection and investing in the power of creativity.

The Gratus Collection by Mary & Bishoy Azmy brings together dozens of pieces of Egyptian art from different eras encompassing the pioneers of the modern era, the different Egyptian modern art movements, and the living giants of the contemporary era as well as emerging talents supported and encouraged by the Gratus Foundation. This one-of-a-kind collection has been developed with the help of Art D’Égypte and hopes to provide a holistic representation of Egyptian art of all eras and disciplines, tracing the varying layers and influences of Egyptian art over its rich and diverse history, showcasing the wide range of local art production, and telling the story of Egypt using art as the main medium. It will hopefully become an informative and invaluable resource for modern and contemporary Egyptian art research and play a small role in highlighting global awareness and appreciation of Egyptian modern and contemporary art.

The Rula and Ahmed Abu Khadra Private Collection includes works of art by modern and contemporary masters, both from the Arab world and internationally. These include Ai Weiwei, Mary Corse, Andy Warhol, Yayoi Kusama, Bernard Buffet, Larry Bell, Hazem Harb, Samir Rafi, Joe Good, Khaled Zaki, Mohamed Abla, Ismael Fattah and Sterling Ruby, among others.

TITANIUM

150

Nora Al Kholi is the visionary founder and driving force behind NK Ideas, a pioneering event consulting company that specialises in crafting bespoke gifts and personalised treasures, but her achievements don't end there. She holds an esteemed position on the Board of Directors of Nile Holding for Investments, one of Egypt's premier industrial and investment powerhouses. Her strategic insight is further acknowledged as a board member of the First Arabia Development and Investment Co. (FADICO), the renowned entity that brought the luxury of the Four Seasons to Cairo. Nora lends her expertise as a dedicated consultant and patron to Art D’Égypte, contributing significantly to the art landscape since 2016. Her past roles encompass commendable stints at prominent establishments: she enhanced the British International School in Cairo (BISC) as a board member from 2015 to 2021 and steered the FIRST ARABIAN COMPANY / First Mall and the Four Seasons First Hotel Cairo as the Business Development, Marketing, and Events Director from 2001 to 2010. Demonstrating her multifaceted talent, Nora also shone as the Fashion and Lifestyle editor and writer for elite publications like Flash and Kalam el Nas Magazines. Nora boasts a distinguished educational background. She holds a master’s degree in Cognitive Psychology from Boston University, paired with a BA in Psychology from the prestigious American University in Cairo.

She is truly a paragon of leadership, innovation, and expertise.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

GOLD Hamza Serafi is a dedicated patron of the arts and a champion of culture and creative industries. He is the co-founder of ATHR Art Gallery, where he led the Young Saudi Artist Program until 2022. This platform has been instrumental in promoting artistic experimentation and nurturing emerging talents across the region. In 1990, Hamza Established Sama Office as a creative grass-roots hub for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

This developed into Sama Design where Serafi has played a pivotal role in ideation, conceptualization, and creative development in the design and construction industries.

Serafi’s portfolio also includes Wasl Art Space, an open art space that presents a platform for creatives. Beyond his professional roles, Serafi has made significant contributions through his affiliations. As a Principal Advisor for Edge of Arabia, he provided valuable guidance for kickstarting the art scene in the KSA. He has also held board positions in numerous notable companies as well as Princess Noura University and Effat University. He is a member of Sleysla, a Saudi Heritage Development organization, a global council member of the Delfina Foundation, and sits as chairman of three foundations: ATHR Foundation, Midad foundation, and his personal cloud foundation Etiq.

Honayda Serafi is a Saudi Arabian fashion designer, educator, spokesperson, and philanthropist. She is the first-ever female fashion designer to have launched a Saudi Arabian ready-to-wear clothing brand, ushering her luxury, eponymous fashion house, HONAYDA, into the international market in 2016. Serafi has since become a pioneering creative and entrepreneurial ambassador for the Middle East, specifically championing the leadership of women in the international fashion industry and expanding contemporary definitions of feminist empowerment within the wider creative field globally. Serafi is a long-standing mentor to women in fashion and the arts, occupying both emissarial and education roles at the highest level of Saudi Arabian cultural exchange and development. She has been recognised within the global fashion industry through numerous awards and far-reaching press coverage, partnering her creative success with an impressive business portfolio of board directorships and advisory roles. Serafi is also a dedicated philanthropist who has worked throughout her career to eliminate barriers around entrenched gender bias, inequity and representation.

Dina Shehata & Karim Abou Youssef are the founders of the Mahy Khalifa Art Fund, established in loving memory of Mahy Khalifa, Dina’s mother, an avid art lover and collector. Launched in 2020 in partnership with Art D'Égypte, the Fund aims to provide support for the arts in Egypt. The Fund’s flagship initiative, the Mahy Khalifa Art Scholarship, was established to provide support for a new generation of artists, art scholars, and curators by funding post-graduate studies in Europe for exceptional young talents. Dina Shehata (PhD, political science, Georgetown University) is a senior researcher and editor at al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies. Karim A. Youssef (LL.M., J.S.D., Yale Law School) is the founder and CEO of Youssef & Partners, the premier arbitration and dispute resolution law firm in Egypt and the Middle East.

Art D’Égypte would like to thank Youssef + Partners for their generous patronage.

ART D’ÉGYPTE

151

Mr & Mrs Rasheed Kamel are proud supporters of the Egyptian art scene. Passionate collectors of Egyptian art, they have amassed a superb, skilfully curated private collection. The couple firmly believe they have an ethical obligation to support young Egyptian artists as part of their commitment to putting Egyptian art back on the global map and preserving the country’s incomparable artistic heritage. Mr. Kamel is senior partner at Al Kamel Law Office, one of Egypt’s leading independent law firms and currently serves on the Tate Modern Middle East and North Africa Acquisition Committee.

Christiane & Claude Abdalla are the owners of MARMONIL, an industry leader operating in marble and granite. The MARMONIL name stands for solid delivery of quality work, attention to detail, experience, and innovation. The couple make it their policy to support initiatives they believe are helping to build a brighter future for Egypt, and the company is proud to collaborate on community development projects with several organisations including the American Chamber of Commerce and the Children’s Cancer Hospital. Throughout MARMONIL’s history, there runs one dominant thread: constant investment in technology, people, and in the pursuit of excellence, including in the arts. Christiane Abdalla, who has been named one of the ‘Top 50 Most Influential Women in Egypt’, is an avid art collector with a true passion for art. As part of her commitment to promoting Egyptian art and artists to a worldwide audience, she is a patron and an engaged member of Art D’Égypte’s Advisory Board. Through MARMONIL, she sponsors and collaborates with famous national and international artists such as Egyptian sculptor Adam Henein, British artist Stephen Cox RA, and Italian sculptor Lorenzo Quinn, among others, helping to highlight and position Egypt on the global art scene.

Rawya Mansour is an avid art collector and patron. She is also a dedicated environmental activist and humanitarian, relentlessly fighting to lift up all segments of society. Her work focuses on the link between the environment and poverty, empowering women and improving standards of living through implementing clean technology for sustainable green business and providing jobs, training, and capacity building. Her ground-breaking work has won her the title of ‘African Female Leader of the Year’ 2019 from the African Leader Magazine and ‘Excellent Business Leader’ 2017 from UN Women and Business Professional Women.

SILVER

152

Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi is an Emirati columnist and researcher on social, political, and cultural affairs in the Arab Gulf States. He is also the founder of the Barjeel Art Foundation, an independent initiative established in 2010 to contribute to the intellectual development of the art scene in the Arab region. He has taught 'Politics of Modern Middle Eastern Art' at New York University, Yale University, Georgetown University, Boston College, The American University of Paris, Brandeis University, Harvard Kennedy School, Columbia University and most recently at Bard College Berlin.

Sultan also recently completed a Fellowship at Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin.

Alia Saleh and Yasser Hashem began collecting art in the early 1980s. Since then, they have carefully built an important collection of Egyptian artworks. They have also funded numerous local and international projects focused on promoting research and publications on Egyptian Modern Art. Yasser Hashem is the managing partner of Egypt-based law firm Zaki Hashem & Partners.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

BRONZE Mohamed El-Shiaty is an avid collector of Egyptian art. He currently works for the World Bank advising government clients across the Middle East and North Africa on private sector and financial sector development reforms. Ramez Mirshak is an arts and culture enthusiast with a background in banking, finance, and business development who researches and promotes corporate social responsibility around the world.

Vadim Fedotov is a serial entrepreneur within online gaming, affiliate, and investment segments. Residing in the UAE for over a decade, he has ventured out into different areas including art, not only to diversify his portfolio but to broaden his own horizons. His passions also include collecting watches, racing cars, travelling, and connecting people.

Art D’Égypte would like to thank Nada Salem for her generous patronage.

Magy El Sheikh-Nadim & Dr Tarek Nadim share a passion for art, history, and music. They are major shareholders in Maridive. Dr Nadim, a former Maridive chairman with a PhD in Economics, studied history and religious studies as a postgraduate at Harvard. He also composes music hits for stars such as Amr Diab and Abu. Magy Nadim also co-founded Egydream Group and curates a rare 19th-century art and Old Masters collection.

Art d’Egypte would like to thank Mrs Samar Al Shaer for her generous patronage.

153

ART D’ÉGYPTE

INSTITUTIONAL PATRONS GOLD

Art d’Égypte would like to thank Anasy Media for their generous patronage.

Afreximbank Group: Catalysts of Creativity – Collaborating on a Global Artistic Tapestry. The Group recognises the potential of the Cultural and Creative Industry in driving trade and socioeconomic development in Africa and has created two channels of intervention: the Afreximbank Art Programme (AFAP) and the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX). The goal is to leverage African and global resources and partnerships to transform the continent’s culture and creative industries. The Afreximbank Art Program hopes to provide vital support that enables artists to explore uncharted territories, experiment with innovative ideas, and incubate emerging talents. The work of Culturvator | Art D' Egypte facilitates an environment where artists from different corners of the world can converge, exchange ideas, and create together. This collaborative spirit not only results in groundbreaking works but also promotes a deeper understanding and appreciation of the myriad perspectives that shape human experience. By being patrons of the arts, individuals and organizations become architects of a global community that transcends physical boundaries, where creativity flourishes, and cultural exchange becomes a powerful force for unity and appreciation. Embracing the role of a patron is an investment not only in individual artists but in the enrichment of global culture.

SILVER

154 Bloomberg Connects is a free arts and culture app that allows viewers to explore Art D’Égypte through a digital guide. It takes you behind the scenes at various exhibitions with multimedia perspectives from artists, curators, and more. Visitors can use the app to plan their visits, then easily access helpful insights on-site. Afterwards, they can dive deeper into their favourite works at home – or anywhere, anytime!

In addition to Art D’Égypte, Bloomberg Connects lets you explore hundreds of museums, galleries, sculpture parks, gardens, and cultural spaces around the world, all with one free download from the App Store or Google Play.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

The French Institute in Egypt (L’Institut français d’Égypte – IFE) is the heir to the great tradition of cooperation between Egypt and France and a major player in the ties of friendship between the French and Egyptian people, particularly in the fulfilment of the cultural, technical, and scientific cooperation agreement of 1968. The institute is a department of the French Embassy in Egypt, and its mission is to contribute to the influence of French culture, language, and expertise in Egypt and to strengthen cooperation between Egypt and France in the fields of educational and linguistics, culture, art, academics, and the sciences. To this endm the IFE offers several hundred annual cultural events across its five branches (Mounira, Heliopolis, New Cairo, Sheikh Zayedm and Alexandria). The IFE also participates in external events, as part of the promotion of culture and exchanges between France and Egypt and develops partnerships with other governmental or non-governmental entities.

Al Nas Hospital is one of the largest and most distinguished medical centres in the MENA region with a capacity of 600 beds, 10 operating rooms, 140 ICUs, 4 cardiac catheterisation units, 48 outpatient clinics, and a state-of-the-art neo-natal intensive care unit (NICU). Established as an NGO, it has been operating since 2019. It specialises in cardiovascular surgery for children and newly born infants, with a professional team of doctors and nurses providing international-standard medical care to patients using the latest technology. Offering a wide range of medical services, Al Nas Hospital prides itself on being 100% free for all patients.

The Open Crate is the modern collector’s new best friend. Our platform/app offers a private and secure innovative solution to digitally document your collection and grants you greater intellectual control over what you own. We store what you value most right inside your pocket. In-house specialists are allocated to your account to manage your collection, and you are able to access their expertise to make informed decisions.

The Open Crate allows you to organise, document, valorise, manage, and share your precious, curated bodies of work with your network in one click. Become a member, have peace of mind.

ART D’ÉGYPTE

155

EDUCATION PARTNER

Department of the Arts

The American University in Cairo's Department of the Arts and Tahrir Cultural Center both serve the University’s overarching mission of advancing arts, education, and culture, as well as providing critical bridges of knowledge and understanding between Egypt and the world. Providing support in the curating of the Art D'Égypte lecture series, as well as hosting the series at our historic downtown campus cultural center, are practical examples of AUC's commitment to enhancing benefit and value on the cultural landscape.

156

FOREVER IS NOW .03

THE GALLERY CIRCLE WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO:

157

ART D’ÉGYPTE

SPONSORS MAIN SPONSOR

Talat Mostafa Group (TMG) is a leading conglomerate with a special emphasis on real estate development, and an outstanding track record of creating large, vibrant, and diverse communities and hospitality developments. With over 50 Years of experience, it has an accumulated footprint of more than 84 million sqm landbank, of which 74mn sqm is in Egypt. TMG stands today as an industry giant that presents world-class developments across all real estate asset classes. TMG has reshaped the urban landscape by developing luxurious, self-sufficient cities and communities as well as an array of residential, commercial, and hospitality projects nationwide including Al Rehab City in New Cairo, the flagship mega-project Madinaty, and the unique project in the heart of the new capital Celia.

TMG stands at the forefront of Egyptian companies taking an ethical responsibility toward environmental sustainability by providing sustainable and eco-friendly communities.

As a leader in the luxury and ultra-luxury tourism industry in Egypt, TMG boasts a portfolio of exceptional hospitality properties, including 3 branded residences, hotels, and resorts under the management of the world-renowned Four Seasons brand in addition to the latest hospitality developments: Four Seasons Cairo Capital at Madinaty and Four Seasons Luxor.

The Kempinski brand manages the luxurious boutique hotel, Kempinski Nile Hotel. As part of its regional expansion strategy, TMG is entering the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in partnership with local affiliates to offer the market fresh and ambitious development ideas while upholding the country's traditions, legacy, and values.

158

Open Air Mall, Madinaty (OAM) is one of the largest malls in the MENA region and Egypt developed over an area of 404,000 sqm with a parking space that holds up to 6,000 vehicles. It comprises 8 different buildings surrounded by a stunning landscape, magnificent lakes, and spectacular fountains. It offers distinctive outdoor shopping and three entertainment experiences connected by four trams inspired by the City of San Francisco tram, undoubtedly enhancing the visitor experience. Fashion, furniture, home appliances, F&B, and athletic goods are just a few of the sectors represented in OAM by several national and international brands. It includes an extensive food court as well as an entertainment complex run by Xtreme Land and Renaissance Cinemas featuring a modern 15-screen movie theatre complex. Open Air Mall simultaneously merges shopping, leisure, dining, and entertainment, creating a new trend of outdoor recreational activities and, providing an unmatched experience to around 4.5 million people from its prime location in the heart of New Cairo.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

Madinaty Golf Club (MGC) is an award-winning course that offers offers a spectacular 18-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., a renowned golf course designer, as well as a 9-hole foot-golf course – for the first time in Egypt – a golf simulator, a panoramic gym, a relaxing spa, a yoga studio, and culinary experience that together provide visitors with an exquisitely luxurious experience around the swimming pools while they enjoy the panoramic golf and lake views. Managed by Troon, the world’s leader in club management, the spacious clubhouse delivers superior services that are uniquely designed to accommodate visitors’ wide range of interests and activities.

GOLD

Art D’Égypte would like to thank Dior for empowering women.

Barta & Partner Art Insurance has been present in the Egyptian Market for 20 years.‘Second to none insuring art’ is not only a slogan, it is the core element of Barta & Partner’s philosophy. Together with his team, Nikolaus Barta has been responsible for the insurance of some of the most expensive artworks in the world, as well as international blockbuster exhibitions, notably f.e. all Tutankhamun Exhibitions since 2004 and, most recently, the unique Ramses the Great. The Gold of the Pharaohs exhibition in Paris. Barta is traditionally committed to protection and preservation of works of art. Art historians and insurance experts will advise you, and your art collection will be regularly appraised and adjusted to constantly reflect its current market value.

Barta insures against All Risks – which includes risks that are generally not covered under conventional policies. Curious? Find out more on www.bartaart.com ART D’ÉGYPTE

159

Al Ismaelia for Real Estate Investment specialises in the restoration of heritage buildings in Downtown Cairo. To date, the company has acquired 25 signature heritage properties, including and the award-winning La Viennoise. Driven by its belief that art is the world’s most universal language, Al Ismaelia is dedicated to enhancing the arts and culture scene in Downtown Cairo and believes in its power to make a difference and influence positive change. Al Ismaelia’s collaboration with Art D’Égypte is a wonderful opportunity to develop an experience that merges Downtown’s historic legacy with modern culture.

TRANSPORTATION PARTNER

Abou Ghaly Motors. We don't just move people; we transform journeys. With more than 40 years in the driver's seat, we've mastered the art of crafting mobility solutions that are as dynamic as our customers' evolving needs. We don't merely keep up with technology; we drive it. And our commitment goes beyond customer service; we provide an unrivalled experience. In 2010, we introduced the London Cab to Egypt, and since then, we've been rewriting the rules of premium transportation. We offer more than just a ride; we provide an unforgettable experience. But we didn't stop there. We're proud to announce our latest game-changer: the all-electric London Cabs. Abou Ghaly Motors is at the forefront of green mobility in Egypt, ensuring your journey is not only smooth but also environmentally conscious. Join us on the road to a better, greener, and more unforgettable travel experience. Let's redefine mobility, together.

160

The Salah al-Din Citadel in Cairo has been an important structure for centuries, playing a crucial role in the defence of Cairo and serving as the residence of numerous leaders who ruled over Egypt. From its origins with the Ayyubids to the contributions of the Mamluks, this fortress has witnessed the rise and fall of empires. It was constructed in the 12th century by the Kurdish Ayyubid leader Salah al-Din as a fortress designed to protect Cairo from the invading Crusaders. Today, the Citadel stands as a testament to the city's rich history and cultural heritage and is recognised as a symbol of Islamic architecture and engineering. Today, the Citadel is opening its gates, welcoming visitors to step inside.

With a focus on providing authentic experiences and captivating storytelling, the Citadel is poised to become a top destination for travellers, scholars, artists, and families and a platform for Egypt's contemporary creative community.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

SILVER

Mazmazza, the inaugural catering concept of Lola La Hospitality & Leisure Group in Egypt, offers an authentic culinary experience that celebrates the beauty of Egyptian cuisine. With Mazmazza, we aim to redefine the hospitality industry by managing boutique hotels, hosting grand catering operations, developing unique food & beverage concepts, and organizing exceptional events. Our goal is to create a memorable experience with a personalized catering menu that perfectly complements each event and makes it unique. We are kicking off our journey with Art D’Égypte’s event where we have curated a selection of dishes that showcase the best of Egyptian cuisine with a playful twist that adds colour and creativity. Lola La Catering promises an unforgettable experience that will tantalize your tastebuds and leave you craving more.

Signify (Euronext: LIGHT) is the world leader in lighting for professionals and consumers and lighting for the Internet of Things. Our Philips products, Interact connected lighting systems and data-enabled services, deliver business value and transform life in homes, buildings and public spaces. In 2022, we had sales of EUR 7.5 billion, approximately 35,000 employees, and a presence in over 70 countries.

We unlock the extraordinary potential of light for brighter lives and a better world.

We achieved carbon neutrality in our operations in 2020, have been in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index since our IPO for six consecutive years, and were named Industry Leader in 2017, 2018 and 2019. News from Signify can be found in our Newsroom, on social media (Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram). Information for investors can be found on our Investor Relations page.

Christie’s is a world-leading art and luxury business, renowned and trusted for its expert live and online auctions, as well as its bespoke private sales. It offers a full portfolio of global services to its clients, including art appraisal, art financing, international real estate, and education. Christie’s has a physical presence in 46 countries, throughout the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific, with flagship international sales hubs in New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris and Geneva.

It also is the only international auction house authorised to hold sales in mainland China (Shanghai). Throughout its business and communities worldwide, Christie’s is dedicated to advancing responsible culture, actively using its platform in the art world to amplify under-represented voices and support positive change.

ART D’ÉGYPTE

161

TRAVEL PARTNER

EGYPTAIR, the flag carrier of Egypt, is proud to be the first airline in the Middle East and Africa and the seventh in the world to join IATA. Boasting 90 years of continuous success, EGYPTAIR has also been a member of Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline alliance, since 2008. In a bid to upgrade its fleet, EGYPTAIR recently added state-of-theart planes such as the Boeing Dreamliner 787-9, Airbus A320NEO, and Airbus A220 all equipped with the latest technologies and comfort facilities. EGYPTAIR has always played a pivotal role in linking Egypt to Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Far East and has recently expanded its substantial network with new destinations including Dhaka, Jersey, Manchester, and Delhi.

The Sawiris Foundation is one of the first donor philanthropies in Egypt and was established in 2001 to support interventions that target comprehensive and sustainable development in numerous fields, such as social and economic empowerment, education, scholarships, and arts and culture. Over the past 22 years, the Foundation has funded over 100 programmes in 24 governorates, focusing on the most remote and marginalised villages, positively impacting the lives of more than 700,000 Egyptians.

Youssef + Partners has been a leader in the MENA arbitration market since 2016.

The firm was founded by the world-renowned international arbitration lawyer Karim A. Youssef and exercises unparalleled regional influence by delivering client services at global standards. Our flagship practice is international commercial and investment treaty arbitration as well as high-end transactional and corporate services to clients across key sectors and industries.

162 Al Kamel Law is one of Egypt’s leading independent law firms serving a diverse range of domestic, national, and international clients in key sectors and industries.

The firm’s strength lies in its exceptional team of bilingual lawyers and attorneys who combine significant international and Egyptian experience. It was founded in 1978

by Dr Mohammed Kamel and specialises in areas that include tax, labour, arbitration, telecommunications, and maritime law.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

Photo: Diego F. Parra on Pexels

163

ART D’ÉGYPTE

ART D'ÉGYPTE BY CULTURVATOR

A CONDUIT OF GREAT IDEAS AND CREATIVITY

Photo: Tima Miroshni on Pexels

164

FOREVER IS NOW .03

Art D’Égypte was established by Nadine Abdel Ghaffar as a privately owned Egyptian multidisciplinary firm that aimed to support Egyptian arts and cultural initiatives. The company soon became a powerhouse on the Egyptian cultural calendar with diverse initiatives across many disciplines. Culturvator was born out of a need to extend the reach of Art D’Égypte and bring all these initiatives together under one umbrella. It is a multi-disciplinary cultural platform that works with private and public entities to activate spaces for cultural promotion across all creative disciplines, spanning everything from visual arts and film to heritage, design, and music. The core of the Culturvator model is to foster and promote new collaborations across the global creative industry with the aim of building new connections and cultural experiences for a global audience.

As a sub-brand of Culturvator, Art D’Égypte continues to do what it does best: develop strong local, regional, and international collaborations to enhance and promote the rich Egyptian art scene; bridge the gap between Egyptian artists and the world; and support young artists and artists with scarce funds to get their work displayed and published. Art D’Égypte also provides art consultancies to institutions, corporations, and private collectors as well as curatorial services for public spaces and private entities. Cataloguing Egypt’s modern and contemporary art heritage is a further goal of the company through the development of documentaries on modern Egyptian artists.

Art D’Égypte’s flagship event is its iconic yearly exhibition in a historic Egyptian location to shed light on the country’s abundant cultural heritage and connect the art of Egypt’s past with that of the 21st century. Forever Is Now.03 is the sixth edition and follows five highly successful iterations: Eternal Light at the Egyptian Museum (2017); Nothing Vanishes, Everything Transforms at the Manial Palace (2018); Reimagined Narratives on al-Mu‘izz Street (2019); and 2 editions of Forever Is Now at the Pyramids of Giza (2021, 2022). Since 2019, Art D’Égypte has extended its reach abroad, promoting Egyptian artists internationally at art fairs such as Abu Dhabi Art and ArtGenève, holding exhibitions abroad, and launching several initiatives such as podcasts and lecture series to raise interest in Egyptian art at different levels and for varied audiences.

ART D’ÉGYPTE

165

By raising awareness, Art D’Égypte’s target is to help preserve Egypt’s heritage and advance the international profile of modern and contemporary Egyptian art, presenting a different view of Egypt to the world. Every aspect of Art D’Égypte’s projects is designed with sustainability and community in mind. Free lectures and panels and community engagement programs have helped hundreds of young people from the neighbourhoods surrounding the historic sites acquire a sense of ownership and pride in the initiatives and in their shared heritage, thus promoting site sustainability. This commitment to inclusivity and accessibility aligns with UNESCO’s Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and has resulted in Art D’Égypte operating under UNESCO patronage since 2019.

OTHER ART D’ÉGYPTE BY CULTURVATOR PROJECTS

Cairo International Art District

166

In tandem with Forever Is Now.03, Art D'Égypte is organizing the grand art concept, the 'Cairo International Art District' (CIAD) across 4 spaces in Downtown Cairo. The exhibitions will embrace both solo and group contemporary art exhibitions and independent projects. The exhibition locations will include the Radio Complex, Access Art Space, the Radio Corridor as well as a warehouse that has been converted to temporary exhibition spaces. The showcased artworks will comprise painting, photography, sculpture, installation, video art, new media art, and sound. CIAD will also host a series of public lectures and talks targeting artists, students, and art enthusiasts. These programs are hosted by esteemed artists and academics at the American University in Cairo's Tahrir Cultural Center.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

ART D'ÉGYPTE TEAM

Nadine Abdel Ghaffar [Founder & Curator] is an Egyptian curator, art consultant, and cultural ambassador. In 2016, she established Art D’Égypte, one of the most sought-after multidisciplinary art consultancies in the region with a twofold mission: to advance the international profile of modern and contemporary Egyptian art, and to help preserve and promote Egypt’s rich culture and heritage. Since then, she has curated four highly successful exhibitions at stunning heritage sites for Art D'Égypte showcasing the works of over 60 Egyptian and international artists.

Accessibility and democratisation of art have always been at the heart of Nadine’s vision. By activating public spaces and historic sites with interactive exhibits open to the public, the events attract large numbers of visitors of all ages and from all walks of life, transforming art from an intimidating spectacle to an inclusive community occasion. With the establishment of Culturvator, Nadine hopes to extend the reach of the arts even further. Thanks to her efforts, Art D’Égypte received UNESCO patronage in 2019 and was invited to participate in Abu Dhabi Art and ArtGenève.

Nadine also firmly believes that it is vital to mentor and empower female youth in the region, and one of the core objectives of the firm’s activities is to support and exhibit female artists. In recognition of her work, she was recently invited by UN Women to give a talk at Palais des Nations, Genève about Egyptian women and their impact on art and society. In 2021, she was awarded the title Chevalier de l’ordre des arts des lettres by the French government and named one of Egypt’s Top 50 Women.

Most recently, she won ‘Woman Entrepreneur of the Year’ at the 2022 Egyptian Entrepreneurship Awards in acknowledgement for her outstanding contributions not only to the Egyptian art scene but to Egypt as a whole.

ART D’ÉGYPTE

167

Hanya Elghamry [Senior Curator] is a research based multidisciplinary visual artist. She received two BAs in Visual Arts and Integrated Marketing Communication from the American University in Cairo and recently graduated from Central Saint Martins – UAL in London with a master’s degree in fine arts. She has been working as an Associate Lecturer in Central Saint Martins in London since October 2022. Hanya has been with Art D’Égypte since 2019. As senior curator, she is responsible for research and development of the curatorial direction of the exhibitions as well as overseeing the execution of each show, including logistics, management, and artist liaison. Hanya has participated in several group exhibitions and curated shows in both London and Cairo.

Heidi Nasser [VIP Relations & Partnership Manager] graduated from the American University in Cairo with a BA in Integrated Marketing Communication and a BA in Business Administration with an entrepreneurship concentration. At Art D’Égypte she is responsible for coordinating activations and events, developing project proposals, arranging all logistical matters concerning guests, and securing funds for projects through sponsorship agreements with both local and global organisations.

Alaa Elsayegh [PR & Communication Manager] received her BA in Mass Communication from October University for Modern Sciences & Art (MSA) and Bedfordshire with honours. Before joining Art D’Égypte, she worked in public relations and communications at EgyptAir and with the 40th edition of the Cairo International Film Festival. She joined Art D'Égypte in 2020 and is responsible for developing media relations, managing interview requests, coordinating community engagements activities, and directing social media to build brand awareness and market positioning and engage diverse audiences.

168

Ghada Gad [Office & Government Relations Manager] graduated from Sadat Academy for Management Sciences with a degree in business administration. Before joining Art D’Égypte, she worked in administration and HR at several companies in the financial, media and petroleum fields including McKinsey & Co. and Nile University.

Shahd Osman [Designer / Project Manager] Is a multidisciplinary interior architect with a passion for art and design. She has worked across a wide range of areas, from exhibition curation and creation to architectural design and building projects, interior design, set design as well as art direction.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

Her projects include Cinema Zawya, Studio Emad Eddin, Rawabet Art Space, and Maktabi creative office space, among many others. She received her BA in Interior Architecture from the Oxford School of Architecture at Oxford Brookes University and completed her foundation design diploma at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, University of the Arts London.

Her responsibilities at Art D’Égypte include team management, as well as coordinating with multiple entities to fulfil project requirements, design and manage exhibitions, and oversee project technical aspects.

Sara Saad [Assistant Curator] is an art enthusiast who started her career by actively engaging in various performance art projects in Egypt and France before obtaining her college degree. Before joining Art D’Égypte, she coordinated and assisted in organising art exhibitions hosted by renowned artists and successfully launched the first residency program for the art space where she worked in Alexandria, thus contributing to the development of the local art scene.

Laila Mansi [Artist Liaison Assistant] recently graduated with an architecture degree from Paris, France. Over the past few years, she has embarked on an exploration of numerous galleries and museums across Europe, immersing herself in the rich tapestry of artistic inspiration.

In her current role at Art D’É, she is responsible for ensuring effective communication with artists, orchestrating logistical arrangements, and coordinating the intricate details that bring art to life.

Salma Al Khalidi [Exhibitions Manager] began her career in the arts industry in 2016 and has since held numerous curatorial and exhibition management positions in Cairo, London, and NYC. She joined Art D’Egypte in 2021 and in 2023 became an independent curator working locally and internationally. Salma received her BA in Interior and Spatial Design from Chelsea College of Art and Design, UAL, London, and later received her MA in History of Art from SOAS, London.

Salma Al Ashmawy [Cultural Programmer] holds a bachelor's degree in arts plastiques (Visual Art) from Pantheon Sorbonne University in Paris, France. In pursuit of her passion for design, she also obtained a certificate in graphic design from the Russian Cultural Centre in Cairo. This certification not only expanded her creative abilities but also provided her with a strong foundation in the principles of design. Previously she worked as a co-teacher at Lycée Albert Camus. She joined Art D’Égypte in 2023.

ART D’ÉGYPTE

169

Hend Tarrad [Head of the Art Guides Programme] is an Egyptology enthusiast with a deep-rooted passion for history and art. She is currently completing her master’s studies in civilisations, cultures, and societies at the École Pratique des Hautes Études in Paris after graduating from the Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management, Helwan University where she works as a teaching assistant. She has been involved with Art d’Égypte since 2022 which has fuelled her passion for new experiences and projects.

Amira Mostafa [Art Gallery & Artist Liaison Specialist] is an Egyptian visual artist from Alexandria. She graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts in 2019 and has participated in numerous group exhibitions and field curation projects since 2020. She joined Art D’Égypte in 2022.

Ayoub Saeed [Artist Liaison Expert] is an Alexandrian artist based in Cairo with a background in art, music, documentary photography and theatre and constantly strives to contextualise his projects visually and spatially. He graduated from the Faculty of Music Education at Helwan University and is particularly interested in preserving and reviving musical heritage. At Art D’Égypte, Ayoub works with the team to provide artist liaison and deliver a high-quality exhibition experience.

Mahmoud Abdel Kader [Financial Manager] graduated from the faculty of commerce in 2013. He started his career as junior accountant and first joined Art D’Égypte in 2018 as an accountant.

Nirvana Gouda [Junior Project Coordinator] studies furniture and interior design at Helwan University. She balances her time between her studies, learning local crafts, and contributing to cultural events. Her dream is to establish a design studio that serves both people and the environment by adding the contemporary to the past through design.

170

Hossam Bahaa [Accounting Manager] joined Art D’Égypte in 2020 where he is instrumental in the smooth running of the Accounting Department at the company.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the many contributors and supporters who made Forever Is Now. 03 possible. Every year, I am astonished at their confidence in us and their belief in the value of the rich cultural heritage of Egypt and its importance to our common humanity. This is the third edition held at the Great Pyramids of Giza, a truly incomparable site but also one that poses many organisational challenges, especially given the scale of the event. We undoubtedly owe our success to the faith our supporters and friends place in us.

First and foremost, the international and local stars of Forever Is Now. 03, our wonderful artists, who gave us so much of their time, energy, and creativity to make this exhibition a truly exceptional event: Arne Quinze Artur Lescher Azza Al Qubaisi Carole A. Feuerman Costas Varotsos Dionysios JR

Mohamed Banawy Pilar Zeta Rashed AlShashai Rashid Al Khalifa Sabine Marcelis Sam Shendi Stephan Breuer

171

We are completely indebted to the support teams of each artist and the galleries that represent them for their generosity and cooperation throughout this past year.

ART D’ÉGYPTE

The Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, H.E. Ahmed Issa.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Sameh Shoukry.

H.E Nazih Naggary, Minister Counsellor at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

H.E Omar Selim, Assistant Foreign Minister of Cultural Relations.

Dr Mostafa Waziri, secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.

Dr Khaled El Enany, Former Minister of Tourism and Antiquities.

Ashraf Mohie Eldin, Director General of the Pyramids of Giza Nevine Aref, Media Advisor to the Ministry of Antiquities.

Ahmed Ebeid, Assistant Minister of Tourism and Antiquities for the Minister’s Office Sector.

Amr El Kady, CEO of the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Board.

UNESCO, ALESCO, and ISESCO - Dr Nuria Sanz, Sherif Salah Alakwar and most importantly Mr Alsayed Alabasy Assistant Secretary General Egyptian National Commission for UNESCO, whose help, support and encouragement were instrumental in helping revive UNESCO patronage. Thank you to H.E. Alaa Youssef, ambassador and permanent delegate of Egypt to UNESCO for his support.

Special thanks to UNESCO for their patronage for this edition, and particularly for the perseverance of Akatuski Takahashi, Ayman Abdel Mohsen, and Amal Gad. The General Administration of Tourism & Antiquities Police, the Ministry of Interior, Giza Governorate, and Cairo Governorate.

Mohamed Abdel Aziz, Mohamed El Barbary, Nelly Rostom and Manal Abdel Hamid from the Sound and Light.

172

Linchpin-Heft with special thanks to managing director Hani Bakhoum for his continuous support for the second year in a row and his team Andrew Ashraf, Mohamed Wael, Kirolos Nasser, and Sherif Gawdat for their perseverance and dedication.

Dina Iskandar for supporting Art D’Égypte over the years.

The Art D’Égypte team, my backbone and the best team in the world, for their dedication and commitment to making our initiative work. They have been the true powerhouse behind this exhibition, and I am truly grateful for their creativity and passion and for their perseverance in the face of all obstacles. I thank them from the FOREVER IS NOW .03

bottom of my heart for believing in this project and I look forward to even greater successes together. Hanya Elghamry, Alaa El Sayegh, Shahd Osman, Sara Saad, Salma Al Khalidi, Laila Mansi, and Hend Tarrad for their hard work and perseverance in dealing with every task presented to them no matter how obscure. Heidi Nasser, Salma Al Ashmawy, Ayoub Saeed, Amira Mostafa, Ghada Gad, Hossam Bahaa, and Mahmoud Ashraf for their hard work and for learning so much in such a short period of time and our enthusiastic interns Nirvana Gouda, Engy Mohamed, and Rhea Mehta for their dedication and support.

Nevine Zoheiry and her team for managing the journalists and providing them with a professional, well-organized experience.

The contributors to our exhibition catalogue: Akatsuki Takahashi, Christopher Noey, Nikolaus Barta and Philip Machat, Dr Peter Der Manuelian, Prof Dr Thomas Girst, Sherifa Roushdi, Valérie Didier, and Zahi Hawas.

The hosts of our lecture series, the Tahrir Cultural Center and the Department of the Arts at the American University in Cairo.

Rose Issa, Valérie Hess, and Umbereen Inayet for their invaluable input on our Honorary Curating Board.

Mary and Bishoy Azmy, Laurent Le Bon, Ali Khadra, Christiane Abdalla, Dr Hussam Rashwan, Karim El Chiaty, Mounir Neamatalla, Peter Der Manuelian, Rasheed Kamel, Yannick Lintz, and Zahi Hawass, our esteemed Advisory Board members.

We would like to extend special gratitude to our advisory board member Zahi Hawass for his steadfast belief in us and for his immense support from the very beginning.

Special thanks to Loa Pictet.

173

Special thanks to the Rashid Al Khalifa Foundation, Yasmin Sharaby, and Mohamed Shehata.

Our copyeditor Nevine Henein and our book designer Jorell Legaspi for their tremendous effort in bringing this publication to light; and our translator Maysoon Mahfouz for her invaluable assistance.

ART D’ÉGYPTE

Our trusted printing partner Sahara Printing Company and their CEO Nadim Elias.

Our ambassadors for representing Art D’Égypte on the global art scene: Nicolas Bellavance-Lecompte, Patricia Barros, Graziela Martine, Hayat Shobokshi, Thuraya Ismail, Alejandra Castro Rioseco, Natasha Akhmerova and Ada Iliopoulou.

Special thanks to our main sponsors for this year’s edition, Talaat Mostafa Group (TMG): Omar Hesham Talaat, Ayman Zahran, Dalia Shawkat, Shimaa Ahmed.

Dior, especially Delphine Arnault, Olivier Bialobos, and Gerald Chevalier for believing in us and joining us on this adventure.

Orascom Pyramids Entertainment for hosting us three years in a row, allowing us to make it our home for endless meetings, and always accommodating our unexpected requests – Hesham Gadallah, Ali Taher, Mona Lotfy, Mahmoud Guindy, Tamer Roushdy, Yasmin Fahmy, and Ahmed Mustafa. Special thanks to Naguib Sawiris, a true advocate of the arts.

Al Ismaelia and Karim Shafei for their efforts to preserve Downtown Cairo’s heritage along with Eman Hussein and Nourhal Khattab who have been extremely helpful.

MFares & Associates for curating the design concept of the event and venue.

Special thanks to Mohamed Fares, Omar Ashour, Nourhan Elbadry, Nada Abdelrahman, Ann Elsaban, Sara Mostafa, Noha Morgan, Engy Waheed, Merna Ayman, Hana Taher, Hanin Darwish, and Donya Raslan.

174

Tarek Nour Communications for managing the event and providing us with multiple billboards in prime locations – Ahmed Tarek, Hani Kojak, Sherif Mansour, Amira Atef, and Ahmed El Raey for your hard work and dedication.

Four Seasons, thanks to our hotel partner (Sherifa Issa, Hibba Bilal, Khalda El Zanfaly, Ahmed Tarek, Noha Mahmoud and Dalia El Orfali) MO4 Network, our official media partner, for their creative input and the efforts of the team Amy Mowafi, Timmy Mowafi , Nariman El Bakry, and Nouran Saleh.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

Barta & Partner for insuring the artworks for the entire duration of the exhibition despite many difficult circumstances — Nikolaus S. Barta, Philip Machat, Iduna Dessovic, and Dominika Niton.

Signify for lighting the exhibition and illuminating this exceptional experience – Merna Samir, Menna Onsi, Karim Mosaad, and their CEO Mohamed Saad.

Monica Erian, Beshoy Barsom, Laila El-Nofely, Magdy Erwin, and CEO Yasser Shaker at Orange for their services.

The Sawiris Foundation for Social Development (SFSD) team for the great work they do in Egypt. Special thanks to Samih Sawiris for his support and trust; Dina Nagaty for assistance at every step; Nora Selim and Rosa Abdel Malek for putting so much effort into the foundation.

BMW, Christian Bahoo, Thomas Girst and Nada El Sokkari for their extensive support.

Citadel, Ahmed Shaboury, Rasheed Kamel, and Sherifa Roushdi.

Christie’s, Anthea Peers, Ridha Moumni, Ben Wiggins, Maria Alonso-Gorbena, Kathryn Baillie, Edmund Bernard, and Ted Sandling.

EgyptAir for providing our guests with special flight rates, with special thanks to Amr Adawy and Pakinam Mohamed.

DHL, our logistics partners. Mona Mohamed and Nada Ali for their willingness to solve every logistical obstacle and for going out of their way to provide storage space.

We also appreciate the ongoing collaboration with Lyne Roulin and Logitrans for their constant help and support.

EgyBev, Beausoleil d’Égypte Company – Micheleen Amir, Kareem Soliman, and Gehan Iskander for providing our guests with a unique experience.

Mazmazza, Niveen Ibrahim and Sherine Kabil ART D’ÉGYPTE

175

Jazeera Paints, Alia Nasr El Din and Mohamed Mousa Abou Ghaly Motors and London Cab particularly Mr and Mrs Abou Ghaly, Dareen El-Safoury, Youssef Agiezy, for the London Cabs that facilitated our guests’ stay.

H.E. Mr Marc Baréty, Ambassador of France to Egypt and the entire French Embassy team including Heba El Cheikh and David Sadoulet for their support and for arranging a great reception at the ambassador’s residence.

E Finance, Yasmine Rashed Bloomberg, Jemma Read and Marie Sokolow Daghash Group, Mohamed Daghash and his super company that can achieve anything.

Don Tanani,especially Alia Tanani for her constant support and advice.

Abercrombie & Kent, Amr Badr and his professional team — Dalia Khater, Mariam El Khawaga, for treating our esteemed guests to the smoothest travel experience in Egypt.

MARMONIL and NADIM FOUNDATION for making space for industrial experts and technicians to partner up with artists and help them defy all boundaries in creating their art installations.

I-CON Smart Solutions, special thanks to Eng. Ahmed Shawky and Eng. Mohamed Aboul Fotouh for their support and expertise.

Bronze International especially Anas Al Alousi for their support and expertise.

TV5Monde, especially Nabil Bouhajra, for unconditional support and for spreading our story on TV5 around the world, and Sylvie Tixidre for handling our account.

176

P:S agency, special thanks to Michela Pelizzari, Federica Capaldini, and Valentina Migliaccio for their continuous support.

Leopelle, our leather accessories partner especially Ahmed El Gabbas and Marihan for pampering our guests with gorgeous pouch bags.

Mad Solutions, especially Alaa Karkouti, Maher Diab, and Basma El Nezamy for their support.

FOREVER IS NOW .03

Friends and family who contributed tremendously to the success of Forever Is Now.03. My deepest gratitude to my beloved family: My father, Mamdouh A. Ghaffar, who has always believed in me; my mother, Aida Fahmy, the source of strength in our family; my husband Tarek El Mahdy who has always been my rock; my beautiful children, Omar and Taya; and my brother Omar A. Ghaffar.

My friends, Venus El Rayes, Sherine Ghanem and Tarek El Saifi Special thanks to our patrons. Without them this initiative wouldn’t have seen the light: Rabie Besiso, Joumana Mourad, Youssef Ismail Mansour, Mary & Beshoy Azmy, Rula Abou Khadra, Noura Al Kholi, Hamza Serafi, Honayda Serafi, Christiane Abdalla, Dina Shehata & Karim Abou Youssef, Rawya Mansour, Rasheed Kamel, Sultan Al Qassemi, Yasser Zaki Hashem, Vadim Fedotov, Nada Salem, Magy El Sheikh & Dr Tarek Nadim, Mohamed ElShiaty & Ramez Mirshak, and Samar El Shaer.

Barjeel Art Foundation and Sultan Al Qassemi, its founder, for his immense support, patronage, and steadfast commitment to the arts of the Arab world.

His passion and support for Art D’Égypte initiatives made it possible for our first endeavour, Night at the Museum, to see the light in 2017.

Special thanks to Leila Heller and Leila Heller Gallery.

I would also like to extend my gratitude to our gallery circle, including Access Art Space, Easel and Camera, Gallery Misr, Liwan Art Gallery, Odyssey Art Gallery, Passion Art Gallery, Picasso Art Gallery, Samah Art Gallery, The Art’s Hub Gallery, Zamalek Art Gallery, Demi Art Gallery, Cleg Art Gallery.

Thank you all for your belief in Art D’Égypte and in our mission to bring together the global art community through initiatives that connect our rich past with the technologies and creative forces of the future. With every exhibition, we become more ambitious, but this is only possible thanks to the generosity, talent, and perseverance of so many. We would like to thank you all, and we invite you to join us on our next adventure!

Nadine A. Ghaffar Founder and Curator Art D’Égypte ART D’ÉGYPTE

177

UNDER THE AUSPICES OF

MAIN SPONSOR & REAL ESTATE PARTNER

GOLD SPONSOR Official Transportation Partner

SILVER SPONSOR Official Hotel Partner

Official Automotive Partner

Official Catering Partner

Lighting Sponsor

PARTNERS Official Logistics Partner

Official Travel Partner

Official Education Partner Department of the Arts

PR Partner

INSTITUTIONAL PATRONS

Official Sustainability Partner

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

ARTISTS’ ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARNE QUINZE 2023 Once Upon a Time…Today, Vienna, Austria 2023 Six Lupine Sculptures, Porches, Portugal 2023 Sculpture Garden, Lupines, Istria, Croatia 2023 Wildflower Fields Paintings, Awakening Expo, Paris, France 2022 My Secret Garden, Six Sculptures Exhibition, Malaga, Spain 2022 Lupine Sculpture, Art Flow, Museum de Fundatie, Zwolle, Netherlands 2022 Lupine Sculpture Exhibition, Serra dei Giardini, 59th Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy 2022 Oasis Light Sculpture, Noor Light Festival, Riyadh, KSA 2022 Six Chroma Lupine Sculptures, the Foundry Gallery, Dubai, UAE 2019 Maraya Center, Sharjah Islamic Arts Festival, UAE 2006: Uchronia, Burning Man Festival, Black Rock City, NV, USA ARTUR LESCHER Solo Exhibitions: 2022 Observatório, Farol Santander, Porto Alegre, Brazil 2019 Artur Lescher: suspensão, Estação Pinacoteca, São Paulo, Brazil 2019 Asterismos, Almine Rech Gallery, Paris, France 2017 Porticus, Palais d’Iéna, Paris, France 2016 Inner Landscape, Piero Atchugarry Gallery, Pueblo Garzón, Uruguay Group Exhibitions: 2022 Form Follows Energy, Lago / Algo, Mexico City, Mexico 2018 Tension and Dynamism Atchugarry Art Center, Miami, USA 2017 Mundos transversales – Colección permanente de la Fundación Pablo Atchugarry, Fundación Pablo Atchugarry, Maldonado, Uruguay

2016 Everything You Are I Am Not: Latin American Contemporary Art from the Tiroche DeLeon Collection, Mana Contemporary, Jersey, USA 2014 El círculo caminaba tranquilo, Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires (MAMBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina 2013 The Circle Walked Casually, Deutsche Bank KunstHalle, Berlin, Germany AZZA AL QUBAISI 2004 Desert Spring and Diamond, Solo Exhibition, Helsinki, Finland 2006 Solo Exhibition, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), The Gate, Dubai, UAE 2009 Cityscape Abu Dhabi (Al Manhal Sculptures), ICT Stand, Abu Dhabi, UAE 2010 UAE Pavilion, Asilah Cultural Festival, Morocco 2012 Sculpture to Wear, Tashkeel, Dubai, UAE 2021 Art Metaphor, Malta Pavilion, Dubai Expo, UAE 2022 Between the Dunes, Solo Exhibition, Leila Heller Gallery, Dubai, UAE 2022 50 years of UAE Celebration, Sculpture Park, DIFC Dubai, UAE 2022 Portrait of Nation II, Admaf at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi, UAE 2023 Tales Under Gate, DIFC Sculpture Park, Dubai, UAE CAROLE A. FEUERMAN 2023 Crossing The Sea, Fondazione Made in Cloister, Naples, Italy 2023 Sea Idylls, POPA, Park Avenue, New York, NY, USA 2023 Sembra Vivo, Palazzo Bonaparte, Rome, Italy 2022 Master of Hyperrealism, Carole A. Feuerman, My Stories, Church of The Pietà, Venice, Italy ART D’ÉGYPTE

179

2022 Reflections of the Soul, Public Exhibition, Saint-Tropez, France 2021 From La Biennale di Venezia & Open to Rome. International Perspectives, Galleria d’Arte Moderna, GAM, Rome, Italy 2016 Iconic Works, The HuanTaiHu Museum, Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, China 2015 Carole A. Feuerman, Swimming by the Harbour, Ocean Terminal Forecourt, Harbour City, Hong Kong COSTAS VAROTSOS

180

2021 Spiral, solo exhibition, National Art Gallery, Athens, Greece 2020 La Totalita, public artwork, Turin, Italy 2018 Varotsos, solo exhibition, B. & M. Theocharakis Foundation for the Fine Arts and Music, Athens, Greece 2017 Stratifications, curated by Charis Kanellopoulou, Art Gallery of the Cyclades, Ermoupolis, Greece 2016 Two Horizons, public artwork, University of Salerno, Fisciano, Salerno, Italy 2015 The Moon, solo exhibition, Epanomi, Thessaloniki, Greece 2015 Untitled, solo exhibition, Spetses, Greece 2013 Horizon, solo exhibition, Epanomi, Thessaloniki, Greece 2013 Cypress, public artwork, Ioannina, Greece 2012 L’Approdo, public artwork, Opera all’Umanita Migrante, Otranto, Puglia, Italy 2011 Tension-Energy, public artwork, Root/ Lucerne, Switzerland 2010 The Moon of Alexandria, Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria, Egypt DIONYSIOS 2023 D3sign Capsule II, Shanghai Design Week, China 2022 D3sign Capsule, Musée des Archives

FOREVER IS NOW .03

Nationales, Paris Design Week, France 2022 Meditation on Time. (Méditation sur le Temps), Ancient Olympia, Greece 2022 Ecofiltros, Gallerías Tiffany, Guatemala City, Guatemala 2021 Renaissance / Revolution, Greek Economic Forum, Greece 2020 Meditation on Love (Méditation sur l’Amour), Aegean Sea, Greece 2018 Artist Studio - Collaboration with Faith Connexion - Paris (Printemps), Seoul (Galleria), Hong Kong (Joyce) JR 2022 Inside Out Giza, group exhibition, Forever Is Now.02, Art D’Égypte, Giza, Egypt 2021 JR: Chronicles, solo exhibition, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK 2021 Eye to the World, solo exhibition, PACE, London, UK 2021 Greetings from Giza, Forever Is Now, Art D’Égypte, Cairo, Egypt 2020 Tehachapi, solo exhibition, Perrotin, Paris, France 2020 Omelia Contadina, solo exhibition, Galleria Continua, San Gimignano, Italy 2020 Homily to Country, installation at the National Gallery of Victoria Art Triennial, Melbourne, Australia 2019 The Chronicles of San Francisco, SFMOMA, San Francisco, CA, USA 2019 JR: Chronicles, solo exhibition, Brooklyn Museum, New York, NY, USA 2019 JR au Louvre: le secret de la grande pyramide, installation at the Louvre for the 30-year-anniversary of the Pyramid, Paris, France 2018 Momentum, solo exhibition, Maison Européenne de la Photographie, Paris, France

MOHAMED BANAWY 2022 The Art by the Sea Symposium, Masyaf Ras Alhekma with Art D'Égypte, Egypt 2022 Egypt INT'L Art Fair III, Dusit Thani, Cairo, Egypt 2021 Abu Dhabi Art 2021, with Hafez Gallery, Abu Dhabi, UAE 2021 The First Contemporary Art Salon, the Palace of Art, Cairo, Egypt 2021 Cairo International Art District (CIAD), Art D'Égypte, Cairo, Egypt 2020 Remontada, Solo Exhibition, Azad Art Gallery, Cairo, Egypt 2019 Reimagined Narratives, Art D'Égypte, al-Mu'izz Street, Cairo, Egypt 2019 The 5th Sharjah Art Fair, with Hafez Gallery, Sharjah, UAE 2019 Familiar Nostalgia, Jeddah, KSA 2018 Simposio Internazionale per il mosaico contemporaneo, Accademia d’Egitto, Rome, Italy 2016 Caravan 2016, Cairo, London, New York 2015 Mosaic Third Edition, International prize GAeM -Young Artists, Ravenna, Italy 2013 The Egyptian Pavilion, 55th Venice Biennale, Italy 2013 XVIIIth Ceramics Contest ‘Ciudad De Valladolid’, Spain 2011 10th International Biennial of Ceramics, Manises, Spain PILAR ZETA Exhibitions: 2023 Doors of Perception, Solo Exhibition, Gallerie Philia, Mexico City, Mexico 2022 Future Transmutation, Solo Exhibition, Miami Art Week 2022 The Space of Variations, Solo Exhibition, Praz-Delavallade, Los Angeles, California, USA 2021 Hall of Visions®, Solo Exhibition,

Miami Art Week, Faena Art, Miami, FL, USA 2021 Aorist "Crossroads", Group NFT Exhibition, w/ Refik Anadol, Andrés Reisinger, Carlos Betancourt 2017 A Head Full of Dreams Exhibition, with Coldplay, A Gallery, London, UK Awards & Recognition: 2021 Grammy Nominee, Best Art Direction for Coldplay ‘Everyday Life’ 2021 CLIO Award Bronze Winner, Best Video Direction for Camila Cabello ‘Don't Go Yet’ RASHED ALSHASHAI 2022 IFS, Chongqing, China 2020 Desert X AlUla, KSA 2021 Diriyah Biennale, KSA 2021 Art Dubai, UAE 2020 Palais de Tokyo, France (2020) 2019 Art Dubai, UAE 2019 Mnwr 5, Kuwait 2019 Start London, UK 2018 Kennedy Centre, Washington, D.C., USA 2017 Islamic Arts Festival, Sharjah, UAE 2017 Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, USA RASHID AL KHALIFA 2023 First Light, Heydar Aliyev Center, Baku, Azerbaijan 2023 Geometry and Art in the Modern Middle East, Misk Art Institute, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia 2022 Cusp, Liechtenstein Landesmuseum, Vaduz, Liechtenstein 2021 Tesselate, Mario Mauroner Contemporary Art, Vienna, Austria 2019 Transverse Wave, meCollectors room, 181 Berlin, Germany 2019 Moscow Biennale, New Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia 2018 Penumbra, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK 2018 Hybrids, Ayam Gallery, Dubai, UAE 2015 Nomi/Names, 56th Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy

ART D’ÉGYPTE

2015 The Eye of the Thunderstorm: Effervescent Practices from the Arab World, Official Collateral Event, 56th Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy 2010 Convex: A New Perspective, Bahrain National Museum, Manama, Bahrain

Public Display: 2022 MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK 2022 Devonshire Square, London, UK 2020 Exchange House, London, UK 2019 99 Bishopsgate, London, UK

SABINE MARCELIS

Public Commission: 2022 The Royal Liverpool University, Liverpool, UK 2022 Saudi Lime, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 2021 Aintree University Hospital, Liverpool, UK 2019 The Cunard Ocean Liner Sculpture

2022-2024 Curation and set design, Vitra Design Museum, Weil am Rhein, Germany 2022 Noor Riyadh Light Festival, Riyadh, KSA 2022 Kunsthal Rotterdam, the Netherlands 2019 No Fear of Water, solo exhibition, Mies van der Rohe Barcelona Pavilion, Spain 2018/2019 Solo exhibition, Victor Hunt Gallery, Brussels, Belgium 2017 Solo exhibition, Side Gallery, Barcelona, Spain 2017 Project Rotterdam, solo exhibition, Boijmans Van Beuningen, the Netherlands 2017 Musee des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, France 2017 Extruding Mondrian, solo exhibition, Dutch Pavilion, Cannes Film Festival, France SAM SHENDI

182

Exhibitions: 2023 Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London, UK 2019 Annual Exhibition, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh, UK 2018 Solo Exhibition, Start Art Fair, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK 2017 Solo Exhibition, Seasons, Graham Fine Art Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa 2015 Solo Exhibition, Body & Soul, Munich, Germany 2015 Solo Exhibition, Art at the Races, Baden-Baden, Germany 2013 Solo Exhibition, The Royal British Society of Sculptors, London, UK

FOREVER IS NOW .03

STEPHAN BREUER 2022 the Museo Nazionale Romano, Roma, Italy 2018 Ultra Light, Jardin du Palais Royal, Paris, France 2017 Sun, National Museum of the Chateau of Blérancourt, France 2013 Futur Absolu, Imperial Palace of Compiegne, France 2011 Artcurial, Paris, France

Photo: Tugce Nil on Pexels

183

ART D’ÉGYPTE

184

©2023 Art D’Égypte, Cairo, Egypt.

Office 210, 2nd Floor, portal (A) building, Sodic, Beverly Hills, Giza +20237900115 / +201224706339 www.artdegypte.org FOREVER IS NOW .03