Art D’Égypte 2023: The Pyramids of Giza Inspire 14 Global Artists to Dream Big
Putting Egypt back on the global art scene, Forever is Now returns for its third edition under the Pyramids, with monumental installations transforming the desert into an open air sculpture park
Long before Kim Jones staged a windswept Dior show in Egypt's majestic desert in 2022, Nadine Abdel Ghaffar, the founder of Art D’Égypte – a consortium championing Egyptian art on the global stage – made sure that all eyes were on the region with her breathtaking outdoor sculpture park of an art show, Forever is Now.
By giving a global roster of A-list conceptual artists a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create large-scale installations against the backdrop of the Giza pyramids, Abdel Ghaffar draws global attention to Egypt's contemporary art scene and fosters an ecosystem for creative exchange. As a result, since it's first edition in 2021, the show has transcended into something so much more than just another art exhibition: Today, Forever is Now has created a space for greater (and more authentic) appreciation for Egypt – where mysticism, science and mythology combined to create one of the most enduring iconographies in history – which until recently, was presented largely through the lens of Hollywood blockbusters and de-contextualised museum displays.
Forever is Now's third edition, which is open from October 26th until November 18th, features 14 artists from the region and around the world: from the Egyptian creative Mohamed Banawy and Rashed Al Shashai from Saudi Arabia, to the American visual artist Carol A. Feuerman and Arne Quinze from Belgium. Together, this group engaged with one of the most iconic historical landmarks on the planet to offer immersive scenographies that blend the present with the past to tell stories of the land and its people.
Walaa Alshaer1/14Lupine Aurora by Arne Quinze
Quinze's piece presents the sun as the fundamental element for all forms of life, depicted in the desert as a sculpted circular frame that immerses viewers in the beauty and diversity of the desert.
Walaa Alshaer2/14Observatory by Artur Lescher
Drawing from his research on the relationship between humans and their place in the universe, Lescher's mirrored totem sculpture pays homage to the pyramids of Giza which have always been a reflection of the connection between mankind and the spiritual realm.
moagalllery3/14Treasures by Azza Al Qubaisi
Walking between the many monumental components that make up Azza Al Qubaisi's installation, visitors are immersed into a processional experience. The ever morphing reflections cast on the installation serve as a metaphor for one's transformational journey through life.
Walaa Alshaer4/14Egyptian Woman in the Form of the Goddess Hathor by Carole A. Feuerman
From the United States, the visual artist Carol A. Feuerman draws on the emotional connection she feels to Hathor, the Egyptian goddess associated with fertility and abundance. “My artistic talent lies in presenting realistic sculptures of women celebrating their natural beauty and opulence, and in these sculptures, I strive diligently to represent the fluidity that reminds us of water, just as Hathor is also associated with water, fertility, love, beauty, music, joy, and motherhood."
Walaa Alshaer5/14Horizons by Costas Varotsos
Horizons focuses on the relationship between the Nile river and the Giza Plateau, emphasising its significance through a symbolic ‘river’ of circular forms that brings into focus that imaginary line where earth and sky meet in the desert.
6/14Meditation on Light by DIONYSIOS
“My goal was to create a space that enable people to experience and contemplate the universal values all cultures and communities share. And what better place than the the Giza Plateau, one of the most energetic places I have ever visited."
7/14Inside Out Giza 2022/2023 by JR
Over the past decade, more than 500,000 people from
152 countries and regions have participated in the French artist JR's interactive art project From The Inside Out. Its Giza iteration features large-scale black-and-white portraits of members of the local community, presented under the watch of the Pyramids.
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Walaa Alshaer8/14As Above, So Below (Dome of Starry Sky) by Mohamed Banawy
"The title of my work, As Above, As Below, came from the emerald tablets written by the Egyptian god Thoth. It represents keys that speak to us from the realm of the soul, not from the realm of the mind. The material world is a reflection of another world existing in another dimension, the two forever intertwined."
Walaa Alshaer9/14Mirror Gate by Pilar Zeta
Argentinian artist Pilar Zeta invites viewers to meditate upon their infinite potential when they see their faces reflected on the orbs – and becoming one with the reflections of the pyramids. Zeta's Mirror Gate draws connections with powerful messages of life, transformation and rebirth found in Egyptian mythology.
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Walaa Alshaer10/14Translucent Pyramid by Rashed AlShashai
Made using palm fronds, an ancient building material from
the region, this work provides a contemporary interpretation of the pyramids and spotlights their impact on the development of the region. It also affirms the value of preserving traditional methods alongside innovation and creativity.
Walaa Alshaer11/14Reality is Timeless by Rashid Al Khalifa
Connecting the past and the present with the future, Rashid Al Khalifa pays homage to the greatness of the Egyptian civilization.
Walaa Alshaer12/14RA by Sabine Marcelis
Fashioned in her trademark reflective ombre materials, the Dutch designer's interpretation of a sundial pays homage to the sun as the source of all life and power, and indeed, time.
Walaa Alshaer13/14The Ghost Temple by Sam Shendi
Eschewing any preconceived notions of artistic classification, the Egyptian-British artist's installation is a skeletal reimagining of the iconic Egyptian portals that brings the iconic pyramids into sharp focus.
Walaa Alshaer14/14TEMPLE •I• by Stephan Breuer
Not just a physical monument celebrating a single king, as was the case in ancient Egypt, Stephan Breuer's ‘temple’ is a hybrid project, appearing as a golden inverted triangle floating in space, like a divine apparition. A striking visual that will remain etched in the minds of many who interact with it, Breuer has also created 15 digital masterpeieces inspired by the main work, which art lovers can shop at DANAE.IO, a digital art platform. “I wanted to invent a 21st century icon that was still deeply and intrinsically connected to our past," he says. This inverted digital pyramid is certainly it.
