By: Yomna Walid&nbsp;
&ldquo;You shall not be poor; you shall not be miserable; poverty shall not bow you down.&rdquo;
The words, taken from the Book of the Dead, appear on Ma&rsquo;at, the monumental artwork by Egyptian artist Salha Almasry, the only Egyptian participant in the fifth edition of &ldquo;Forever Is Now,&rdquo; held at the Giza Plateau from 11 November to 6 December 2025.
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Almasry&rsquo;s work draws on the ancient Egyptian principle of Ma&rsquo;at, associated with truth, justice, and balance. She reimagines a royal seal ring, once a small object of authority used to authenticate documents, as a large-scale public structure. Its surface is engraved with phrases reflecting values of dignity, responsibility, and social equity that she says lie at the heart of Egypt&rsquo;s cultural legacy.
The ring&rsquo;s circular opening is aligned to frame the peak of a Pyramid when viewed from a specific point. Its interior edge casts a shifting shadow through the day, marking the movement of the sun and offering a visual reminder of time and continuity.
Behind the Work
NileFM spoke with Salha Almasry about her vision and the experience of creating Ma&rsquo;at.
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How did you feel when invited to participate in &ldquo;Forever Is Now,&rdquo; especially given the location? I was genuinely thrilled. I&rsquo;ve followed the exhibition since its first edition and recognize its significance both in Egypt and internationally. Showing a contemporary artwork at the Pyramids felt powerful, and I wanted the piece to resonate with every visitor.
You are the only Egyptian artist this year. How did that responsibility feel? It was a major responsibility. I was the sole Egyptian among artists from France, Russia, Lebanon, Brazil, and more. I felt the weight of representing Egyptian civilization&mdash;its values, concepts, and depth. The feedback was encouraging; many said the work felt strongly rooted in Egyptian heritage.
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The Artwork
The monumental ring brings together ancient symbolism and contemporary interpretation. Historically, royal seal rings bore the king&rsquo;s name and served as tools of authority. Almasry transforms this idea, shifting the ring from a private emblem to a shared public space.
Engravings on the surface include:
&bull; &ldquo;I shall not deprive the poor of their possessions.&rdquo; &bull; &ldquo;You shall not be poor; you shall not be miserable; poverty shall not bow you down.&rdquo; &bull; &ldquo;Show kindness to the needy.&rdquo; &bull; &ldquo;Do not favour the son of a rich man over the commoner.&rdquo; &bull; &ldquo;Do not strip the poor of their belongings.&rdquo; &bull; &ldquo;There shall be no hungry person in my time.&rdquo;
The circular form becomes a kind of visual scale, balancing presence and absence, authority and community; a contemporary expression of the principle of Ma&rsquo;at.
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Messages and Inspirations
Earlier this year, Almasry exhibited in the Empower Her showcase at the Grand Egyptian Museum. Her work there attracted the attention of Nadine Abdel Ghaffar, founder of Art D&rsquo;&Eacute;gypte, who later invited her to join Forever Is Now. This project prompted her to shift from pottery to metal to meet the demands of a large outdoor installation.
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What themes does your work explore? There isn&rsquo;t a single message. For artists, I want to highlight the importance of revisiting ancient Egyptian civilization, its philosophy, values, and depth. For audiences, it&rsquo;s a reminder that Egyptians left behind not only monuments but ideas that shaped human ethics.
What do you hope visitors take from it? My practice has long been rooted in ancient Egypt. I studied ceramics and developed pieces inspired by historical forms. Even my first solo exhibition used pit-firing techniques dating back to the pre-dynastic era. This year, I shifted to metal to match the scale and outdoor conditions at the Pyramids.
Do you believe art can truly last forever? Ancient Egypt shows that art can endure&mdash;but only if it is authentic, skillful, and meaningful. Time itself becomes part of an artwork&rsquo;s success, which is why I often use techniques that reveal its passage.
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Journey and Challenges
Tell us about your beginnings and your path to this platform. My work has always been grounded in ancient Egyptian civilization. Before this exhibition, I reinterpreted different historical eras: the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms. This project allowed me to focus on the ideas behind those eras, not only the forms.
How do you see the blending of ancient heritage with contemporary art at the Pyramids? It&rsquo;s important, but it must be done thoughtfully. Contemporary work should speak to Egyptian culture, not simply follow global trends. This connection between history, place, and creative interpretation is what gives the exhibition its character.
What challenges did you face preparing the work for an outdoor setting? The piece needed to reflect the scale of the Pyramids and express ancient Egyptian concepts. I usually work in pottery, which is fragile, so I shifted to metal while keeping the essence of pottery. The time frame was tight &mdash; just two months.
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Looking Ahead
What&rsquo;s next for you? I hope to exhibit internationally and am preparing my next exhibition at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir.
What advice do you have for young Egyptian artists? Hold on to ancient Egyptian civilization. Its heritage offers not just monumental forms but values and principles that speak to what it means to be human.
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About the Exhibition
&ldquo;Forever Is Now,&rdquo; organized by Art D&rsquo;&Eacute;gypte under the patronage of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, brings contemporary sculpture to the Giza Plateau. The exhibition creates a dialogue between Egypt&rsquo;s long history and today&rsquo;s artistic expression, turning the site into an open-air museum against the desert backdrop.
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