NMEC Celebrates Heritage with Culture Event "Antika"

The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) in Fustat organized a cultural event titled, "Antika".

The event shed light on Egypt's tangible and intangible heritage, including collectibles and tools used by ancient Egyptians in their daily lives until they became artistic artifacts of heritage value.

A number of Egyptian artists and collectors of heritage antiques participated in the event.

Dr. Ahmed Ghoneim, CEO of the Museum Authority, explained that the event came within the museum’s strategy that aims to revive Egyptian cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible, and introduce the public to the vocabulary of Egyptian civilization, which is characterized by its richness in all its components and elements.

Nancy Ammar, senior heritage and cultural communication specialist at the museum, noted that the event included a group of workshops and exhibitions displaying rare heritage collectibles, tools, and antiques such as gramophones, radios, telephones, lighting units, and other valuable antiques.

It also featured a collection of ancient Egyptian photographs, newspapers, and advertisements, examples of orientalist photographs that documented social life in Cairo, and a collection of ancient Egyptian coins and stamps by Professor Yahya Fathi.

And a collection of ancient Egyptian coins and stamps by Professor Yahya Fathi.

The event also witnessed distinguished participation from the oldest and most prestigious Egyptian brands in the world of perfumes and cosmetics during the past century, namely “Kesmach and Brawich,” which displayed a group of its products, especially those that Egyptians were associated with during the past century and were part of their daily uses.

The Roaia Fine Arts group also participated in reusing symbols and shapes of antiques and heritage collectibles and employing them in artistic pieces for modern use.

The event also featured a workshop for sculpting using non-traditional materials and designing artistic forms that mimic the Egyptian heritage by the artist Ahmed Yahya, a workshop on the coppersmithing craft “Copper Arct” by the artist Yasmine Mahmoud, and a workshop on traditional storytelling about popular proverbs and its moral values that were deeply rooted in the minds of Egyptians in ancient times and up to the present day, by Professor Ola Mohamed.

The event also included a presentation on the Egyptian women’s costume, “The falsification” in the 19th century by Professor Sally Abdel Moneim.

The audience was also introduced by artist Germaine George to a model of the pianola instrument, which was one of the most important Egyptian street art in the early twentieth century.

They also took souvenir photos with Charles Chaplin, embodied by the actor Ahmed El Shazly.

The event concluded with the museum giving all participating artists certificates of appreciation for their efforts and participation in the event.