Cairo Photo Week: Borderless Exhibit Reframes Essence of MENA Cultures
Led by digital arts and culture magazine Divaz of Arabia, the Borderless exhibit captures diverse cultures across the region.
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Born during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the digital arts and culture magazine Divaz of Arabia placed the intricacies of Middle Eastern fashion, street art, and culture centre stage over the past few years. Stepping outside the realms of their virtual home, Divaz of Arabia hosted its first exhibition, ‘Borderless’, as part of the third edition of Cairo Photo Week - a testament to its rebellious vision, transcending artistic and geographical borders across the region.
From Egypt to North Africa and the Gulf, the historic Radio Theatre in Downtown Cairo quickly became a space to revel in the diverse yet shared visual landscapes of the MENA region, bringing 17 artists from to make sense of their contexts and express their identities through art.
“We really aimed to provide a borderless vision, the physical confines between Middle Eastern countries are more strict than most regions around the world, despite the various shared cultural aspects,” fashion photographer, film director, creative director of Divaz of Arabia Ämr Ezzeldinn tells CairoScene. Ezzeldinn was the curator for the Borderless exhibition. “We similarly championed this free approach to the artistic mediums integrated into the showcase, we included photography, calligraphy, set design, and illustration as a testament to the diverse ways regional artists express themselves.”
While the exhibition is a celebration of identity, it does so without falling into the trap of replicating cliched depictions or representations of the region, allowing youthful voices to echo through its vibrant pink and red walls. Kahhal Looms's hand-knotted rugs, woven with Egyptian artisanal techniques passed down for thousands of years, serve as the foundation of the area, being laid under visitors’ feet. The exhibit itself meanwhile features pieces from across the region, such as conceptual photography by Moroccan artist Noureddiine Ait Mouden to challenge notions of control, or a vivid illustration that reconstructs the sanctity of places of worship by Egyptian illustrator Lama Ameen.
The Borderless exhibition drew upon Arab heritage, yet did not limit its vision to the glory of the past. Arabic calligraphy exclaiming ‘divaz’ by Negmedine embraces the walls of Radio Cinema in bright hot pink, embodying a playful and fast-forward outlook outside the mainstream borders of ‘Arab culture’ as we know it today.
Ironically, navigating the exhibition represents those same confining borders. Entering the right side showcases Egypt-born pieces, while the North African section is located to the left with pieces from the Gulf region at the centre. While the curation seems to reinforce the very notion it is deconstructing at first glance, it simultaneously paints a harmonious blend between all three regions and a subtle celebration of their differences. Ezzeldinn carved the space out to carefully bring a taste of different cultures, which he admits is also motivated by his personal taste and desire to showcase diversity.
Famed architect and visual artist Karim El Hayawan similarly followed the exhibition’s playful approach through his piece, a mirrored image of actress Salma Abu Deif. “When Ämr reached out to me to contribute, I was instantly intrigued,” Karim El Hayawan tells CairoScene. “I revisited stills I took of actress Salma Abu Deif during a previous project that’s really dear to my heart, he was down to experiment and so was I, and it turned out to be a very emotional piece.”
Multidisciplinary artist Marwan Sabra sprung life into late singer Dalida’s legacy, building a set design of her home in Shubra, and recreating her remarkable persona in a photo series starring percussionist and musician Sabrine El Hossamy, with gallery visitors stepping into the shoes of Dalida. “I wanted to create a memory for people, who can visit and experience Dalida in a different light, and maybe capture an image that stays with them forever,” Marwan Sabra tells CairoScene.
The exhibition marks Divas of Arabia’s first print issue, featuring most of its regional contributors over the past two years, who collectively drew inspiration from their homelands and captured a new wave of underground fashion, art, and culture. The exhibition is running until February 18th at Radio Theatre in Downtown Cairo.
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