Downtown Cairo Display Highlights Reality of Domestic Violence

Dalia Laz, architect and CEO of Esorus, contributed an immersive installation to What Women Want… Magazine’s 16 Days of Activism Festival at Downtown Cairo’s The Factory, raising awareness on domestic violence against women.

Using audio from the film ‘A Divorced Woman’, Laz’s installation places the audience at the centre of a domestic dispute. Instead of seeing the actors, attendees hear the shouts and screams of violence, positioning them as silent witnesses to the unfolding scene. Set in a traditional home, with pillows scattered and an uneasy tension through the atmosphere, the exhibit starkly portrays the hidden reality of domestic abuse and its potential to unfold in any household.

By dropping viewers into this unsettling experience, the exhibit aligns with the festival’s theme of unity, underscoring the vital role of communities in combatting domestic violence and supporting survivors.