Nahla Zayed 8 artists transform the Giza Plateau through site-specific installations exploring time, cultural memory and the dialogue between past and present.
Nadine Abdel Ghaffar: “This year holds a particularly special meaning for us, as we celebrate ten years of Art D’Égypte.”
Cairo, Egypt, 7 November 2026 – Art D’Égypte by CulturVator has inaugurated the sixth edition of Forever Is Now at the Pyramids of Giza, bringing together eight artists from diverse cultural backgrounds to present site-specific installations at one of the world’s most remarkable heritage landmarks. Open to the public from 8 to 28 November 2026, the exhibition invites audiences to consider time, cultural memory and the enduring dialogue between past and present through contemporary artistic interventions across the Giza Plateau. Held under the patronage of UNESCO and under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Experience Egypt and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this year’s edition further reinforces Egypt’s position as a vibrant meeting point for contemporary art, international cultural exchange and heritage.
The official opening welcomed a distinguished gathering of diplomatic representatives, cultural leaders and prominent public figures. Guests included Laurent Fabius, former Prime Minister of France; H.E. Suresh Reddy, Ambassador of India; H.E. Éric Chevallier, Ambassador of France; Laurent Fabius, Former Prime Minister & Foreign Minister of France; Princess Heidi von Hohenzollern, Princess of Hohenzollern, Germany, and Music composer Hisham kharma
The eight participating artists bring distinct perspectives and disciplines to the exhibition’s central themes. Abdulrahman Taha, a Saudi contemporary artist and photographer based in Riyadh, uses artistic installations to create cultural spaces that encourage human connection and explore urban environments. His installation at the Pyramids, The Gathering, transforms the traditional Egyptian board game Tawula into monumental sculptural forms made of carved natural stone. Drawing inspiration from the game’s playing pieces, the work explores how traditional games can bring people together.
Charlotte Colbert, a British-French artist and filmmaker whose multidisciplinary practice explores identity, femininity, transformation, memory, and the subconscious, presents Possible Landscapes. Through surreal stainless-steel sculptures, including an eye-topped arch, a reflective steel tree, a sculptural wishing well, and lanterns, the installation creates an immersive, dreamlike environment that explores the relationship between nature, imagination, belief, and perception, blurring the boundaries between reality and fantasy.
French multidisciplinary artist Geoffroy Pithon, recognised for his large-scale painting installations and vibrant visual compositions, presents Hortus Pictus, a collection of monumental modular sculptures rising from the heart of the desert inspired by the Tree of Life and the mythological garden of ancient Egyptian mythology, the installation brings painting, architecture, and cosmology into dialogue with the Pyramids of Giza.
Jiang Qiong Er, an internationally recognised Chinese artist and designer whose practice combines traditional Chinese culture, craftsmanship, and contemporary design, presents It Is Time to Plant Love, commemorating the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Egypt and China. The installation reimagines ceremonial pathways leading to sacred spaces through twelve monumental guardian figures positioned before the Pyramids. Drawing inspiration from ancient Egyptian, Mayan, Chinese, Indian, and other civilizations, the figures represent shared human values, including benevolence, inclusion, equality, peace, freedom, nature, and wisdom, symbolising a shared human heritage that transcends cultural boundaries.
French-American multimedia artist Raphaele Shirley, based in New York, works across painting, video, sculpture, light, sound, and public installations, exploring the intersections of science, ecology, cosmology, and human consciousness. Her installation, Passage, draws inspiration from ancient Egyptian cosmology and the form of the pyramid to explore transformation, continuity, and movement. Its expanding rings suggest orbital movement and cyclical time, while materials including palm fibres, wicker, reed, and copper connect the work to Nile traditions and symbolise growth, energy, and transformation.
British-Jamaican born multidisciplinary artist Rochelle Nembhard, presents Celestial Vessels, drawing upon the ancient Egyptian Hermopolitan creation narrative, the work presents eight monumental earthen vessels inspired by the Ogdoad, the eight primordial forces that gathered around the Cosmic Egg before the emergence of first light. Arranged as a constellation across the landscape, the vessels enter into dialogue with the pyramids through two complementary geometries. One represents what humanity has achieved; the other holds what humanity has yet to imagine.
Seçkin Pirim, a Turkish sculptor who lives and works between Istanbul and London, his installation, The King’s Road, where The Giza Plateau is an aligned field of thought. The ancient King’s Roads made this field operative: they bound quarries to temples, stone to memory, walking to orientation. Rising in Egyptian marble, the columns are the earth’s memory set upright. Repetition, light and shadow draw the body into a route rather than a static object. Multiplied units bind into a single path where stone, body and the history of the space meet in the same movement
Representing Egypt, Emad Abu Grain, born in Assiut, Upper Egypt, is a visual artist and painter, he brought an Egyptian artistic perspective to this international and showcasing his work Talisman of Salvation Inspired by the Egyptian Book of the Dead, this artwork explores awareness versus heedlessness in the journey to eternity. Using stone and rope, it proves moral purity needs wisdom; turning heavy traps into a sacred gateway of light to heaven.
Addressing guests at the opening, Nadine Abdel Ghaffar, Founder of Art D’Égypte by CulturVator, reflected on the significance of the sixth edition and the organisation’s tenth anniversary. She reaffirmed the platform’s belief in international artistic dialogue, wider access to art and the lasting value of cultural and community engagement.
“This year holds a particularly special meaning for us, as we celebrate Art D’Égypte’s tenth year,” she said. “Ten years ago, we had a dream. We wanted the world to see Egypt not only for the extraordinary history we inherited, but for the creativity we continue to produce today.”
She added: “We have always believed that the true value of art lies not only in what it creates, but also in the people it reaches and the opportunities it inspires. That is why our commitment extends far beyond exhibitions. Through educational initiatives and community engagement programmes, we continue to open doors for young people, nurture creative talent and encourage future generations to discover, appreciate and protect Egypt’s cultural heritage.”
Abdel Ghaffar also expressed her gratitude to the partners and sponsors who helped bring the exhibition to life. LMD returns as Main Sponsor for the second consecutive year, alongside Suez Canal Bank as Official Banking Partner. Other partners include Orascom Pyramids Entertainment; BMW, Luxurious Automotive Partner; Barta and Partners, Insurance Partner; Abo Ghaly Motors, Transportation Partner; BTC; Sawiris Foundation; Momentum McCann; KMT Media; Radio Me, Advertising Partner; BICC Cables; INCA & Co; EgyptAir, Official Carrier; Marmonil; Rover Construction; and Don Tanani. Media support is provided by MO4 Network; TV5MONDE; documentation partner YoungHouse, Arabian Publishing Media; Etac Promo; and Pilot Room.
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About Art D’Égypte by CulturVator
Founded by Nadine Abdel Ghaffar, Art D’Égypte is a multidisciplinary platform dedicated to supporting Egyptian arts and cultural heritage. Through exhibitions, international collaborations, and cultural initiatives, it connects Egypt’s historical legacy with contemporary artistic expression. Operating under UNESCO patronage, Art D’Égypte and its sister platform CulturVator develop initiatives rooted in sustainability, accessibility, and international creative exchange across visual arts, design, film, heritage, and music.
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