It is hard to ascribe certain words or use fixed connotations to describe the new exhibition at the Art Palace of the Cairo Opera House. Each piece of the exhibition put together by the International Media Art Forum for Youth (IMAFY) showcases creative and intellectual conceptualizations that reflect the height of contemporary art.
Walking into the exhibit hall was akin to a jaunty stroll in an amusement park. The venue complimenting the project is full of rooms and nooks, each with its own art piece. As you walk around, you lose yourself to the world of digital media; some happy, some sensual and some almost eerie.
“The idea is what makes each of these works significant, not the medium used, said Mohsen Shaalan, head of the fine arts sector.
Whether it’s a documentary, graphic pictures, video or interactive instillations; it is the idea behind these art works that makes it unique; among thousands of artists sending in their work from across the globe, 32 pieces were accepted.
IMAFY has come to serve as an interdisciplinary platform for youth aged 35 and under, who use digital mediums for implementing and designing creative projects.
Walking around the exhibition can take hours, and you may not even find the time to finish it. The first things that attract attention are large computer altered photographs by Bahraini artist Waheeda Mullalah entitled “Green.
The eight pictures show a girl wrapped with a brightly colored yellow and green paisley scarf. Sometimes her hair is propped in certain designs making up the composition of the picture. In others, the scarf is wrapped around her head like a veil.
Next to these pictures is a video of four different characters – including the artist herself – from the back, aggressively combing their hair. All Mullalah’s pieces make a collective exploration of what is expected of a girl in an Arab society.
A video instillation by Albanian artist Gerti Ibra entitled “Dance of the Stars is somehow easy to miss as it is located on a ceiling of the dark hallway of the exhibition. At first glance, a constellation of stars appears to be shinning down on you. Then you realize that the stars form a figure of a man . dancing.
Another startling piece is “Touch by Slovakian artist Michal Simonfy. The screen shows the naked torso of a man twitching and relaxing. The artist tries to capture both feelings of a harmful touch versus a delightful one; showing the contrast between the two sensory forms.
Prior to organizing this exhibition, Shaalan felt that the local art scene was endangered and in desperate need of a fresh new perspective. Thus the team was motivated, using minimal resources, to get this show on the road.
This forum is regarded as a step in developing the Egyptian art scene – an attempt to elevate Egyptian artists to the same level of their international counterparts by introducing them to new forms of art.
To his delight, local artists who participated in the project contributed with works just as powerful as the international exhibitors.
Tarek Hefny’s computer graphic output entitled “Urban Interiors explores the thin line between public and private space in Egypt. The installation is composed of regular street objects amassed together in an inventive fashion to make up indoor furniture. For example, a street sign that reads “26th of July Corridor is transformed into a table; a street lamppost is placed beside the couch and an electric fuse box sits harmoniously in the living room.
Fellow artist Ahmed Sabry uses stills from popular TV programs, and graphically adds himself via a cartoonish looking character reflecting on the effect of media and popular culture on individual identity.
“Egypt has great potential. It has a cultural driving force of both ideas and talents, says Nagla Samir, curator of the exhibition.
She explains that the selection process was long and difficult. Through the sector’s website, international artists sent in demos, before the short-listed participants sent in the actual work.
The sector of fine arts – an affiliate of the ministry of culture – allocated a budget bigger than that of its previous projects. Samir explained that they had to erect more walls at the exhibition in order to separate the sound emitted from each piece. Ten projectors and DVD players were brought in to display the works.
The sector’s activities focus on art and culture on various levels, locally, nationally, regionally and internationally. It is in charge of various kinds of national and artistic museums, galleries and culture centers, and organizing several local and international events such as Alexandria Biennial for Mediterranean Art, Cairo International Biennial, Egypt International Print Triennial, Cairo International Biennial for Ceramic, The National Art Exhibition, Youth Salon and The Nile Salon for Photography.
IMAFYPalace of Art, on the grounds of the Cairo Opera House Exhibition runs until April 24
