This week Gaz embarks on an artistic adventure like no other as she explores the incredible world of "Forever is Now 2023". From October 26th to November 18th, 2023, the Great Pyramids of Giza transform into an art lover's paradise. The exhibition opens daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Make sure to tune in every Thursday to “Gaz Guides” from 1- 3 PM where Gaz talks about all things travel!

This third edition of "Forever is Now" is not just an art exhibition; it's an experience that bridges the gap between ancient heritage and contemporary creativity. This year's lineup features a record-breaking 14 artists from around the globe. These artists have created breathtaking, interactive sculptures and installations that dance with the Pyramids' majesty and Egypt's rich culture. It's a meeting of the past and present that will leave you awe-inspired!

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Translucent Pyramid

Saudi Arabian artist Rashed Al Shashai's crafted a translucent pyramid from wicker baskets, which is a tribute to Egypt's ancient art of weaving, underscoring the importance of preserving tradition while promoting innovation and creativity.

Dome of Starry Sky

Egyptian artist Mohamed Banawy’s "As Above, So Below (Dome of Starry Sky)" is a 10-meter-high installation shaped like a pyramid. It's made of a matrix of starfish-shaped sculptures mounted on rods and references the second verse of the Emerald Tablet, a cryptic Hermetic text said to have been written by the Egyptian god Thoth. The artwork's name also alludes to the essential laws of balance and harmony, ensuring that the world is not consumed by chaos and darkness, according to ancient Egyptian cosmic philosophy.

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TEMPLE •I•

French artist Stephan Breuer's "TEMPLE •I•" suspends a golden triangle of pure light, inviting you to reflect on the spiritual energy of the archaeological site. Conceived as a "divine apparition," the piece is an ethereal symbol of the site's spiritual energy.

Treasures

UAE artist Azza Al Qubaisi's "Treasures" blends the pyramid's geometric volumes with the organic shapes of the surrounding sand dunes in a maze-like installation that visitors can stroll through. Made out of mild steel and stainless-steel sheets, the earthy-hued metallic landscape juxtaposes the mysteries of the desert landscape with the cultural memories, stories, and motifs represented by the ancient monuments.

Mirror Gate

The adventure doesn't stop there! Argentine artist Pilar Zeta's "Mirror Gate" is an inter-dimensional gateway inspired by Egypt's ancient mysticism. It blends natural and artificial materials, including a checkerboard pathway representing duality, iridescent blue spheres representing the sacred beetle, and a mirror egg symbolizing limitless potential and self-exploration.

Reality is Timeless

Bahraini artist Rashid Al Khalifa's "Reality is Timeless" installation is a cluster of towering rectilinear volumes that emerge from the ground at various angles. Made of copper and brass perforated panels, the pieces are swathed in elaborate geometric motifs taken from 17th-century Jesuit scholar Anthanasius Kircher's book "Turris Babel," which presents diagrams of an ancient Egyptian labyrinth. Hauntingly futuristic in design yet steeped in ancient mythological references, the installation plays with notions of timelessness, inviting visitors into a setting where the past, present, and future come together.

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Observatory Meta Oiko

Brazilian artist Artur Lescher explores the relationship between humans and their place in the universe with "Observatory Meta Oiko," a prismatic sculpture created from reflecting and translucent surfaces that invite visitors to take in the panorama of the pyramids from a different point of view.

Ghost Temple

Similarly to Pilar Zeta's "Mirror Gate," "The Ghost Temple" by Egyptian-British sculptor Sam Shendi also takes the form of a mysterious portal, this time inspired by ancient Egyptian temples. Made from steel rods painted in a vibrant red hue, the ghostly, skeletal temple illustrates the lasting impact of ancient structures long gone by demonstrating how easy it is to conjure them in our imagination and therefore feel their energy.

RA

Over four meters high, Dutch designer Sabine Marcelis’ mesmerizing sculpture, named after the Egyptian sun god, "RA," pays tribute to the sundial, believed to be originally invented by the Egyptians. The artwork is made of laminated solar glass whose red and yellow hues produce an ever-changing footprint of light as the day progresses, while harnessing the sun’s energy so that it can continue to be illuminated after dusk.

Hathor

Another ancient Egyptian deity to make an appearance is Hathor, courtesy of American artist Carole Feuerman. Her patented bronze sculpture of the goddess takes the dynamic form of a contemporary woman. Hathor is associated with water and fertility, and Feuerman strives to capture the graceful fluidity reminiscent of water.

Horizon

Acclaimed Greek artist Costas Varotsos eschews Egyptian mythology, focusing instead on the relationship between the Nile River and the Giza Plateau. His installation "Horizon" consists of eight conjoined metallic rings, a nod to the celestial dome and the cycle of life, which have been half-filled with thin layers of glass, the artist’s signature technique. Set against the desert landscape, the glass textures give the impression of water, delineating an illusory horizon that unites the Pyramids with the River Nile.

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Aurora

The symbolic resonance of the circle can also be found in Belgian artist Arne Quinze’s circular sculpture "Aurora". Strategically framing views of one of the Pyramids, the metallic sculpture functions like a "temporal gateway" that bridges, in the artist's words, "the gap between yesteryears and the tomorrows". Consisting of abstract, organic-shaped, aluminum pieces squashed together to form a giant ring, the artwork explores the strength and fragility of nature.

Meditation on Light

In Greek artist Dionysios' "Meditation on Light," the Egyptian sun god converses with Apollo, the Greek god of the sun. Crafted with the help of A.I., the installation takes the form of a textured carpet whose abstract markings, made of a myriad of gold-plated brass leaves on linen, trace the sun's path from dusk to dawn. Invited to step onto the golden carpet, visitors are immersed in a setting of shimmering light.

Lastly, French artist JR has created a vast tapestry of black and white portraits derived from his participation in the second edition of "Forever is Now" in 2022 when visitors were invited to enter a pyramid-shaped interactive photobooth to have their portrait taken.

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