In a blistering Egyptian summer, Zamalek s Sawy Culture Wheel is a welcome reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the Cairo streets. Sawy s maze of blissfully air-conditioned theaters and galleries, coupled with an outdoor garden and cafe, sets the scene for a pleasantly peaceful evening.
An astonishing number of exhibits and artists frequent the stages and walls of Sawy s theaters and galleries every month. But a closer look reveals that attention to detail seem to have been neglected in the rush to produce as many shows as possible.
Despite the appealing atmosphere, Sawy s latest art exhibit fails to impress. In comparison to the beautiful location, the work is of startling mediocrity.
“Bits and Pieces of Art, an exhibition featuring work by Noha Taha Abdel Maasoud, Hanaa Medhat Mohamed, Basma Sha baan and Sarah Abdel Maasoud, is currently on show in Sawy s Word Hall.
You’re greeted with a jumbled mash of drawings and paintings as you enter the gallery space. A traffic-jam of pictures line the wall, with paintings hung haphazardly on every available space.
The gallery seems to be practicing a determined efficiency; it is a strange attempt at shoving a record number of paintings into the smallest area possible.
The works themselves are of varied quality. Very few are particularly memorable – a cluttered medley of commonplace pen and ink drawings and watercolors vie for attention on the crowded walls.
The artists styles rarely shine through; an ink sketch by one artist is hardly discernible from the next. The eye skips and jumps, moving quickly onto the next painting, struggling to find a theme, some sort of cohesive pattern, or a standout piece.
But there are gems to be found among the hectic display. The exhibit contains a series of prints showing a slightly altered Cairo scene, an attractively amended take on a familiar street view.
Finding these pieces is a challenge in itself. It is easy to become lost in the confusing disarray of characterless architecture sketches.
For the most part, the majority of the pieces are astonishingly unremarkable.
The rapid set-up and take-down of the shows has resulted in an exhibit lacking quality and care. The layout of a gallery is an art form in itself, requiring an understanding of how to showcase each individual piece of work to make sure that truly arresting works are not lost amongst masses of very standard watercolors.
Art seems to remain largely unnoticed at Sawy. In the center of the gallery, there are a number of tables crammed with people talking, reading, and relaxing; their chatter causing a cheerful buzz to fill the hall. The steady beat of a bass vibrates through from a stage neighboring the gallery, accompanied by the rhythmic strumming of a guitar.
In its effort to become more open, to exhibit more shows and concerts, Sawy has taken on a very commercial feel. Mobinil seems to be a constant contributor to the walls of Sawy. Its orange ads are found frequently around the center, sometimes more attractively displayed than some of the actual art work.
Sawy does maintain a wonderfully cultured atmosphere, largely due its location and those that frequent the center s outdoor garden. The draw of the culture wheel is this artful cafe-esque atmosphere, but not necessarily the art itself.
“Bits & Pieces of Art is showing ever day, from 9 am till 8 pm, at Sawy Culture Wheel’s Word Hall. The exhibit closes on Wednesday, July 29.
