Months ago we talked how the desert became the new destination for art, from Middle Eastern countries like Qatar to the Californian desert, including Egypt and its marvelous pyramids. We are talking about the now famous exhibition Forever is now, now in its third edition. In recent days, the area of Pyramids of Giza welcomed the works of the fourteen artists selected this year by the team of CulturVator – Egyptian Artfounded by Nadine Abdel Ghaffar and the organizer of the entire event. Among the artists, we once again find the French J.R.this year alongside Stéphane Breuerand other important names like the Belgian artist Arne Quinzethe Brazilian Arthur Lescherand the Argentinian Pilar Zetaalongside equally talented artists like Azza Al Qubaisi (UNITED ARAB EMIRATES), Carole A. Feureman (UNITED STATES), Dionysios (Greece), Costas Varotsos (Greece), Mohamed Banawy (Egypt), Rachid Al Khalifa (Bahrain), Rashed Al Shaishai (Saudi Arabia), Sabine Marcelis (Netherlands), and Sam Shendi (Egypt). The installations will be exhibited until November 18. But now let’s learn more about what it is.
This year’s theme is play
This year’s edition of Forever is now put the accent on interaction with the public. Play occupies a central place and, in this sense, the watchword is undoubtedly “experimentation”. The sculptural works designed by the artists are interactive and intended to invite the public to actively engage with each installation. The Giza region is thus transformed into a place of chance and chance, where the boundary between artist and spectator blurs, giving way to a realm of possibilities. The founder herself said: “The next edition, like the previous ones, aims to create unexpected and energizing dialogues between humanity’s ancient past and its contemporary present, ultimately demonstrating the lasting influence of the cultural heritage of Ancient Egypt and its ability continues to inspire the artistic and public imagination in new ways. Egyptians and international visitors will have the opportunity to interact and experience contemporary art in the context of this legendary and ancient monument.”
The journey: from the observatory to the horizon in eight circles
Following the event poster, which presents the site map with the location of the works, we discover the exhibition route. The first work indicated on the map is that of Arthur Lescher, an observatory “to look at the magnificent panorama of the pyramids from a different angle and consider the human scale in a new framework, using the interior of the pyramids as a reference”. as shown in the artist’s Instagram caption. Continuing the journey, we are fascinated by Pilar ZetaIt is Mirror door, inspired by ancient Egyptian mysticism. This portal ideally connects the past to the present and invites viewers to reflect on their infinite potential.
Other highlights undoubtedly include the work Ra – inspired by the Sun god – created by Dutch artist Sabine Marcelis; installation Treasures by a visual artist Azza Al Qubaisi, who captured the secrets, shapes and patterns of the desert in dialogue with cultural and historical references; the hyperrealistic sculpture of Carole Feureman evoking Hathor, the ancient Egyptian goddess of love and fertility. The journey ends with the eight circles that make up the work Horizon, created by Costas Varotsos. The artist reflects on the geometric shape of the circle, which refers on the one hand to the cycle of life and on the other hand to the engineering of the pyramids. “For me, the horizon has always been a prediction of the future, towards something that is coming, defining the concept of horizon in space, but at the same time determining the position in relation to life,” says Varotsos himself.
