Most people can’t grasp the concept of design. It is commonly confused with art and sometimes altogether dismissed, but it takes a simple demonstration to explain the difference between the two. “Walking Art, a collective exhibition focused on shoes, has succeeded in illustrating this distinction. The exhibition – currently hosted by the Italian Culture Institute …

It isn’t every day, or any day for that matter, that one would stumble into a gallery in Cairo that’s hosting a collection of nude paintings. It’s even rarer to find nude paintings that are solid works of both aesthetic and conceptual clarity. Rare but possible, for artist Nadine Hammam has audaciously managed to accomplish …

Following the success of his first exhibition, Mohamed Sharkawy has now applied his trademark two-dimensional drawings to the exploration of the traditional ritual of “El Kehrita , now showing at the Townhouse Gallery. El Kehrita is a fading practice believed to heal mental and physical ills as well as bring about fertility. The ancient mythical …

rt has always been a familiar vehicle for political expression. It’s quite rare though to find a political artwork that succeeds in treading the thin line of being both political and artsy. “Between the Walls is the first exhibition I’ve attended in quite some time that evades subjectivity without distancing itself from the topic it …

It’s easy to forget that regardless of their aesthetic or conceptual qualities, most artworks are born of a childlike curiosity. Such curiosity is currently on display at the International Media Art Forum for Youth (IMAFY), taking place at the Palace of Arts in the grounds of the Cairo Opera House. The international group-show hosts an …

Villa Grey has been the host of three exhibitions prior to the current one, Tamima Fahmi’s “Sum of all Parts. But unlike Fahmi’s the first three were quite successful. The relatively new venue was greeted with open arms by Cairo’s art connoisseurs when it first opened last October. Essentially founded by Philip Skaff, artist and …

Contemporary Egyptian art is difficult to identify and classify – a reflection of the lack of a definitive modern Egyptian identity in general. Art suffers from the same positive and negative connotations of “being Egyptian as much as Egyptians themselves. In terms of geography, curators of international exhibitions are often at a loss as to …

It’s always gratifying to find clever social commentary that is not only coherent but also relevant to Cairo’s reality. There’s perhaps no better way for a social commentary to have a worthwhile impact than through assuming the form of visual arts. Arguably, there’s no better place to reflect on the city than Townhouse, which effortlessly …

The Sony Gallery at the American University in Cairo hosted the opening of Reem Al Faisal’s “The Shape of Light, a definitive standout among recent art shows. Al Faisal, a writer and photographer who happens to be the granddaughter of King Faisal of Saudi Arabia, unveiled her latest work: a collection of black and white …

It is rare to be genuinely undecided about the merit of an art exhibition. The nature of art, as a form of communication from one person to another, is to present a statement and anticipate a reaction, as we all do in conversation. To find an art exhibition where there are equal amounts of positive …

It is rare for a particular art piece to transcend form and strike a chord with everyone involved in art creation and consumption, which the Zurich Ballet s performance at the Cairo Opera House did with flying colors. Choreographed by director Heinz Spoerli, the ballet is based on three solo cello suites by J.S. Bach, …

The prospect of attending an art exhibition in Ard El Lewa seemed quite intriguing to me. Ard El Lewa is an area located parallel to the posh Mohandiseen neighborhood. It is a district that is significantly less urbanized and somewhat isolated from Zamalek and Downtown, the center of the Cairene art scene. Its owner and …

Art galleries in Cairo are, in terms of location, not easy to find. Only in a few cases does an art gallery have a clear, distinctive venue on a main street in the city. The galleries, where Cairene art lovers receive their standard art fix, are spaces hidden in magnificent buildings tucked away on idle …

It is important every now and then to be reminded of the basic gifts of life, the things we have taken for granted. Cherif Sobhi’s latest exhibit at the Safar Khan Gallery was a much-needed wake-up call. A resident of La Baracaccia Gallery in Rome, Cherif Sobhi has toured with his works all over the …

It’s become difficult to acquire an objective perspective about a city as crowded and pulsating as Cairo. People are so immersed in their surroundings, both physically and mentally, that stepping back to look at the larger picture or regard it from an alternative, abstract sense can be excruciating. This is where artists come in. Despite …

The Palace of Arts at the Cairo Opera House is currently hosting a group exhibition cleverly titled “What’s Happening now? It displays the contemporary views of 25 Cairo artists, in a compilation that includes what can be described as truly unique artwork. One of the highlights of the show was the brilliant installation by Medhat …

It isn’t the mediocrity of an artwork that saddens a viewer, as one would presume, nor is it the fact that such a work is, in no way, shape or form, original. What is truly saddening is the amount of effort wasted and unused in its creation, not to mention the lack of awareness of …