On Thursday, the annual international exhibition "Forever Is Now" was launched in its third edition in the Pyramids of Giza and the surrounding plateau.
14 International artists exhibited their iconic works to create a dialogue between the amazement of contemporary arts and the greatness of the past miracle in arts and architecture. This year's works targeted echoing history, the land, the environment, and humanity.
The tour started with Egypt's Mohamed Banawy As Above, So Below (Dome of Starry Sky).
Benawy said: "I am very pleased to participate in the third edition of the 'Forever Is Now' exhibition, which has achieved great success on both the local and international levels in its previous two editions. It's an exciting adventure to showcase my artistic work alongside our great civilization in one of the most significant archaeological areas in the world."
Regarding his artwork, Benawy told SEE News that the work reflected Ancient Egyptians' interest in studying astronomy and astrology, and he linked the Ancient Egyptians' science with their humanitarian development as they enlisted the rules of Maat that created the values and manners of the Egyptians. Therefore, his 42 stars reflect Maat's 42 rules.
After that, Belgian artist Arne Quinze's project, "The Gateway of Light," was visited. He highlighted that his work reflects the gate between past and present, as the man is always interested to know what happened in the past, and what would happen in the future. He also explained to SEE News that he chose the red and white colors to represent the circularity, heat, and harmony of life.
The visual artist Azza Al Qubaisi is exhibiting her work titled "Treasures." She expressed that this work represents a journey for her, capturing the secrets, shapes, and patterns of desert landscapes, along with cultural memories, stories, and ornaments from the past. Her artwork utilizes materials reflecting the surrounding nature with earthy colors inspired by the deep roots of their heritage.
It allows viewers to immerse themselves in an experience walking between the art piece and the sand dunes as they approach the pyramid, watching their reflections as if it's an inner journey through their personal lives. The hidden treasure in the earth symbolizes the concealed personal goals within us.
Next, the visual artist Carol Feuerman's "Egyptian Woman in the Form of the Goddess Hathor."
In a detailed conversation with SEE News Feuerman reflected that she chose the goddess of Hathor as she represents the woman, especially since the stand of woman is widely questioned in the world, in addition, choosing the goddess of Hathor reflects her interest in connecting real life with the greatness of mythology.
She told SEE News that visiting the Pyramids was always a big dream for her, and exhibiting her work at such a glorious site is a true honor.
French artist "JR," is also participating in the exhibition and he presented a different and interactive art project this year titled "From the Inside Out." It's a platform that helps communities worldwide defend what they believe in and incite local global change through public art. Anyone in the world can create a "From the Inside Out" movement by displaying large-scale black-and-white portraits of members of their communities in public spaces.
The project was launched by the French artist JR after winning the TED Prize in 2011. Over the past decade, more than 500,000 people from 152 countries and regions have participated in the project. Through these activities, cooperation and dialogue between communities worldwide have been encouraged.
During the tour, SEE News met the Dutch artist Sabine Marcelis who is contributing to the art project with her piece "Ra." She said that she always works with reflexive objects, mainly mirrors as she targets to play with the sun and the light. Her work is like a sun clock that reflects the shades of the light, and the colors of the sun and she selected one of the glorified mythical gods in Ancient Egypt like Ra.
After that, Saudi artist Rashed Al Shashai's The Transparent Pyramid came next. Shashai revealed that he used more than 3600 palm fronds and Egyptian local food containers to create a parallel pyramid to the iconic 3 Pyramids to glorify the life of the Egyptians and their concepts of home, food, and gatherings.
He told reporters: "The art project I present, prepared specifically for the site, represents a dance between the past and the present, blurring the lines between traditional and modern, and renewing our perceptions of art, heritage, science, and sustainable practices."
He added: "The project aims to encourage the audience to think about the potential for sustainable practices in contemporary art and design, and it contemplates the human aspect of heritage and the dedication that has always carried it. It serves as a deliberate tribute to the eternal legacy of traditional craftsmanship and the importance of sustainable practices."
The exhibited works also include a geometric sculpture by artist Dionysios titled "Meditation on Light " which employs artificial intelligence; parts of a maze by artist Rashid Al Khalifa, emerging from the earth at different angles, each adorned with patterns inspired by the book "Tower of Babel" by Jesuit scholar Athanasius Kircher in 1679 and Greek artist Costas Varotsos' "Horizon."
In addition, Bahraini artist Rashid Al Khalifa's exhibited his "Timeless Reality," Stéphane Breuer shared his excitement about presenting his artwork "Temple •I•," and the Egyptian-British artist Sam Shendi presented the concept of "The Phantom Temple."
Argentinian artist Pilar Zeta introduced her artistic project "Mirror Gate," stating that it was inspired by her fascination with Egyptian culture and the ancient mysticism in Egypt.
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