The geographical and cultural crossroads that is Cairo serves as unofficial nexus for the contemporary art of the Arab world. Building a community and providing a showcase, the city’s Art Cairo event now enters its sixth year, building momentum with every iteration.
Excerpt from press materials:
Art Cairo announces key galleries participating in its sixth edition, set to take place at the Grand Egyptian Museum from 8 – 11 February 2025. The Fair returns this year under the theme ‘Peace to All Nations’, a call to contributors and attendees to understand art as a powerful tool for connection and hope amid challenging times. Promising a dynamic and immersive experience for art enthusiasts as well as seasoned and aspiring collectors, the sixth edition of Art Cairo will offer a seamless blend of history and contemporary art. The experience of this temporal dialogue will be enhanced by the Fair’s incomparably unique setting in the recently reopened Grand Egyptian Museum, home to the world’s most comprehensive and coveted collection of rare ancient Egyptian artefacts.
Art Cairo 2025 welcomes renowned galleries from the region and beyond that embody both the diversity within and the cultural specificity of MENA contemporary art. Le Lab (Egypt) will highlight critically acclaimed contemporary Egyptian artist Khaled Hafez whose works unpick capitalist mythologies and dichotomies, informed by his experiences in Egypt, France and the US. Misr (Egypt) will present the work of Iraqi Kurdish artist Serwan Baran, which examines the Iraqi sociopolitical panorama and human condition.
Nadine Fayad Art Gallery (Lebanon) will feature the dynamic work of Raouf Rifai, renowned for exploring identity and heritage through his signature “Darwich” figure, while Gallery One (Ramallah, Palestine) champions Palestinian contemporary artists including Ibrahim Jawabreh whose contemporary visual artwork delves into themes of identity, space, and human connection. Fann À Porter (UAE) will showcase Mohammed Hawajri’s “The cactus” – a powerful symbol of Palestinian resilience, patience, and a deep connection to his cultural identity and upbringing in Al Bureij Refugee Camp, Gaza, Palestine.
Wadi Finan Art Gallery (Jordan) will present a multi-generational roster of Levant and North African artists. These include Zaid Shawwa, whose abstract expressionist and deconstructed cubist work reflect his own lived experiences, and Saoud Mardam Bey, whose work traces day to day life in the Middle East in a mesmerising and unique visual language. Salam Art Gallery (Iraq) will spotlight prominent Iraqi artists, including Salam Omar whose artistic career has been profoundly shaped by his experience of the Iran-Iraq war. This year, for the first time Art Cairo is also expanding its reach to Europe, featuring international galleries that represent artists from the Middle East, including French gallery Art du Temps and Dutch gallery SANAA.
Beyond the exhibitions, Art Cairo offers a deeper dive into the region’s artistic ecosystem through its much-anticipated Hiwar Programme, which will feature conversations on gender, identity, technology, and the vital role of education in the arts.
Art Cairo
8 – 11 February, 2025
Grand Egyptian Museum, Cairo, Egypt.
The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance. – Aristotle
