Alexandria's Shelter Art Space Kickstarts New Gen-Z Art Program

An initiative spotlighting the talents of young artists, Alexandrian art space ‘Shelter’ is launching its first Gen-Z exhibition this Friday the 8th of December. Under the title ‘Gen-Z Dis/Connected View’, the exhibition represents the first event of the gallery’s extensive plan for a comprehensive Art Program made by, and for, young artists.

The exhibition, curated by Czech art historian and curator Daniela Kramerová, will spotlight the self-portraits of 28 young Egyptian artists from across the country, in painting, photo, object and video-form. More specifically, the exhibition seeks to shine light on both the connectivity and disconnect Egypt’s Gen-Z experience in various situations throughout day-to-day life through portraiture.

“Generation Z is also known as the selfie generation,” exhibition curator Daniela Kramerová shares in an exclusive virtual interview with CairoScene, “Therefore, the crucial theme that connects them all is self-portraits.” Kramerová adds.

In their quest for identity, young Egyptian artists' works often touch upon the unique experiences of being part of Generation Z in Egypt, “In their search for their own identity, ‘GenZers’ of Egypt often look for their roots, for family memories connected to the local culture, which they try to develop in a contemporary way,” further explains Kramerova, “The connection to local history and traditions is fundamentally complicated by the colonial appropriation of local heritage. A further field of dis/connection can therefore be found in the area of the relationship to history and national heritage.” Kramerová concludes.

Doors for the ‘Gen-Z Dis/Connected View’ exhibition open Friday the 8th at 7 PM.