In brief
The sixth edition of “Forever Is Now” displayed multiple contemporary installations amid the pyramids, welcoming artists from France, China, Turkey, and Egypt. The event, organized by Art D’Egypte, highlighted cross‑cultural dialogue, especially with its first Chinese artist, Jiang Qiong Er, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of Egypt‑China diplomatic ties. Visitors, including school and university groups, engaged with works that merged steel, stone, and colour, underscoring the enduring influence of Egypt’s ancient monuments.
On Sunday, November 8, the Giza Plateau the world’s most famous pyramids hosted an open‑air gallery for a weeklong contemporary art exhibition, turning the desert landscape into a canvas for global artists. “Forever Is Now” has, for its sixth edition, invited painters, sculptors and installations nationwide and internationally, the organizers said, positioning the UNESCO‑listed site as a bridge between past and future.
Art D’Egypte, a multidisciplinary arts firm, announced that the event will run from Nov. 8 to 28, featuring works that explore time, culture and memory. “In our country, the pyramids are an emblem of resilience; we’d like to underline that resilience with stories that are very contemporary, that speak today,” Nadine Abdel Ghaffar, the founder, told Xinhua.
Among the international pieces is “It Is Time to Plant Love,” the debut work of Jiang Qiong Er, a French‑Chinese artist whose installation will be the first Chinese contribution to the exhibition. The 12 towering figures, made from stainless steel and fiberglass and finished in a gold‑colored finish, symbolize common values such as peace, freedom, equality, wisdom, said Jiang to Xinhua. She explained that she was seeking shared ground rather than division, hoping that the artworks would “open a window, open a door” and facilitate dialogue, marking the 70th anniversary of Egyptian‑Chinese diplomatic relations. Jiang added that art cannot resolve conflict, but it can at least allow people to walk together into a shared space.
Other artworks highlight the relationship between ancient architecture and contemporary ideas. Turkish sculptor Seckin Pirim’s “The King’s Road” uses limestone columns that echo ruined stone yet incorporate a distinctly modern form. Pirim described the sculpture as “a gate and a portal” that channels viewers from the present toward the pyramids, according to his interview with Xinhua.
E. Egyptian visual artist Emad Abu Grain presented “Talisman of Salvation,” a composition of six carved stone blocks bound with rope, drawing on ancient Egyptian iconography while employing a modern conceptual approach. Grain’s work invites observers to contemplate how personal identity can exist within the broader sweep of history.
Additional installations, unseen in the brief Xinhua extract but noted by accompanying coverage, employed steel, stone and vivid pigment across the plateau, allowing visitors to experience a “passage of time” that is both rooted in 7,000‑year‑old civilization and resonant with contemporary Egypt’s evolving narrative.
Abdel Ghaffar highlighted the exhibition’s invitation to all and its appeal to school and university groups, stating that art should be accessible beyond collectors. “International visitors and the media come to witness not only our ancient civilization but also contemporary Egyptian expressions,” she added, suggesting that the event serves as a cultural portal for the global community.
Staged around the ancient monuments, the exhibition leverages the historic setting to provoke reflection on the pyramids’ enduring influence while showcasing modern artistic interpretations. Visitors, local and foreign, returning each year, noted the emotional experience of walking through the desert alongside contemporary installations, underscoring the fusion of global art and Egyptian heritage that defines “Forever Is Now.”
