Histories of Now: Six Artists from Cairo

January 18–March 17, 2012

"Opening during the one year anniversary of the first mass protests in Tahrir Square, "Histories of Now: Six Artists from Cairo" brings together work by some of the most inspiring and influential video and new media artists working in Egypt today, including a multi-channel video installation by the late Ahmed Basiony featured in the Egyptian Pavilion of the 54th Venice Biennale." 

"This exhibition is an intimate investigation of the complex social framework and collective formal engagements currently being explored by Egyptian artists. With many of these artists exhibiting in the northeast region of the United States for the first time, "Histories of Now" introduces viewers to the diversity of voices, concerns and approaches—both material and conceptual—found in today's Cairo; six artists presenting six contrasting visions, united only by context, creative discipline and geographic proximity."

"Read more about the artists: Mohamed Abla, Ahmed Basiony, Hala Elkoussy, Shady El Noshokaty, Sabah Naim, Moataz Nasr"

[source]

RELATED EVENTS

January 23, 6–8 pm
Grossman Gallery + Anderson Auditorium, SMFA
Opening reception (Free)

January 25, 6:30 pm
Remis Auditorium, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Shady El Noshokaty: Contemporary Art and the New Egyptian Identity, a multimedia lecture and performance.
$15, MFA members, students, seniors; $18, non-members

January 31, 12:30
Alfond Auditorium, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Screening of Nadia Kamel's film Salata Baladi (An Egyptian Salad)
Award-winning Egyptian filmmaker Nadia Kamel's heritage is a complex blend of religions and cultures. Her
mother is a half-Jewish, half-Italian Christian who converted to Islam when she married Nadia's half-Turkish,
half-Ukrainian father. Prompted by the realization that her 10-year-old nephew Nabeel is growing up in an
Egyptian society where talk of culture clashes is all too common, she urges her feminist, pacifist, activist mother,
Mary Rosenthal, to share their diverse family history. (Free with Museum admission)

February 9, 12–2 pm
Alfond Auditorium, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Screening of Tahani Rached's film These Girls (El-Banate Dol)
This documentary follows a band of teenage girls living on the streets of Cairo. Already at a disadvantage as
impoverished and abused girls in a Muslim society, they encounter rape, drug addiction, prostitution, pregnancy
and motherhood on the streets. While the girls' troubles are not downplayed, neither are their courage, playfulness
and vibrant camaraderie. (Free with Museum admission)

February 21, 12:30 pm
Alfond Auditorium, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Lecture with participating artist, Mohamed Abla (Free with Museum admission)