The American University in Cairo AUC main campus, Downtown, 24 Falaki St, Downtown Cairo, Tel 012 88721446 “Cairotronica” is a symposium of electronic and new media arts organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Fine Art Sector, and the American University in Cairo. Over two weeks, the event will offer exhibitions, performances, talks, workshops and screenings by local, regional and international artists, academics and technology experts. Audiences will be exposed to the latest in electronic arts installations in an interactive environment, as well as attend exhibitions, screenings and outdoor performances. The theme of the symposium, planned to take place biennially, is “Connect”. Artists taking part include Betty Mü, Magdalena Kallenberger and Lotte Meret Effinger (Germany), Dennis Doty (US), James Bridle (UK), Ruben Pater (The Netherlands), Harun Farocki (Germany), Marcus Neustetter (South Africa), Khaled Hafez, Islam Abdallah and Ahmed Abdel-Karim (Egypt), Foundland (The Netherlands and Syria), Heba Amin (Egypt), Norimichi Hirakawa (Japan), Mohamed Shoukry (Egypt), Theo Eshetu (Ethiopia, UK), Ahmed Al-Shaer (Egypt), Lawrence Wallen (Australia), Omar Ghayat (Egypt), Haythem Zakaria (Tunis), Tabita Rezaire (France/New Guinea) and ID PW (Japan). “Cairotronica” is directed by Haytham Nawar, director of the Graphic Design Program at the American University in Cairo (5-15 May).
Art Lounge Cairo 37B Ahmed Heshmat St, 1st floor, Apt 2, Zamalek, Tel 02 2735 3453/012 2343 9537 Paintings by Amal Nasr (closing 11 May).
The Arts-Mart Km 28, Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road, before Dandy Mall and behind Total Petrol Station, Tel 010 0077 3860 “Max Vityk - Retrospective: 2010-2016,” Ukrainian-born artist Max Vityk is an active figure on the international arts scene. His paintings are among the top lots of leading Western auctions of modern art. Vityk has an impressive auction track record, with a number of his works now held in corporate and museum collections (closing 9 May).
Cairo Opera Complex Gezira Exhibition Grounds, Zamalek Palace of Arts “Cairotronica” is a symposium of electronic and new media arts in Cairo that aims to connect artistic visions with academic, business, scientific and educational practices. The theme of the biennial symposium is “Connect” and brings together artists from Egypt and around the world (closing 9 May).
Ceramic and Traditional Handicrafts Centre 1 Al-Imam St, behind Amr bin Al-Aas Mosque, Al-Fustat, Old Cairo, Tel 02 2364 3103 A permanent exhibition of the centre's ceramic, brass, jewellery and khayamiya products.
Contemporary Image Collective 22 Abdel Khalek Tharwat St, 4th floor, Downtown, Cairo, Tel 02 2396 4272 “Chronic,” a group exhibition of works by Alberto Grifi, Dora Garcia, Mohamed Shawky Hassan and Uriel Orlow. This show is the second chapter of “If Not For That Wall,” a long-term project that looks at different forms of imprisonment. Articulated in fragments, the exhibition, film programme, talks and book readings that make up the six-week programme question the power of differentiating between “sane” and “pathological”. The title, “Chronic”, refers to a continuous state that lasts beyond an exceptional moment in time and is complex and severe in nature. “Chronic” considers emotional states, ranging from a diffuse sense of fatigue or sadness to the trauma of people with experience of imprisonment, and the historical struggle to open mental institutions (closing 4 June).
Darb 1718 Kasr Al-Shama'e St, Al-Fakhareen, Old Cairo, near Mar Girgis Metro Station, Tel 02 2361 0511 “Log In,” a social media-themed art exhibition featuring local and international artists from Egypt, the US, France and Italy. The exhibition showcases different interactive art mediums, including photography, video and installations (closing 31 May).
Duroub 4 Amrika Al-Latiniya St, Garden City, Tel 02 2796 2881/ 2794 7951 “From Aswan to Murcia (Spain),” paintings by Ahmed Selim (closing 12 May).
Egyptian Centre for International Cultural Cooperation 11 Shagaret Al-Durr St, Zamalek, Tel 02 2736 5419 “The Beauty of Nature As I See It,” nature photography exhibition by the Hungarian photographer Péter Zala (closing 9 May).
Al-Ghouri Caravansary Imam Mohamed Abdou St, off Al-Moaiz St with Al-Azhar, Tel 02 2514 7475 Permanent exhibition of the handicraft centre's products, including pottery, brass artworks and jewellery.
Grant 6 Al-Gumhouriya St, Abdin, Tel 02 2391 6769 “Nostalgia,” paintings by Mohamed Dessouki (closing 8 May).
Mashrabia 8 Champollion St, Downtown, Tel 02 2578 4494/Mob 010 0170 4554 “Caravanserai,” an exhibition of photography and installations by Pilar Cossìo. The transnational artist Cossìo is a key figure on the Spanish art scene and internationally. The artist wisely moves between contemporary languages, creating an artistic practice that astonishes the viewer (5-19 May).
The Photographic Gallery The American University in Cairo, New Cairo Campus, Abdul Latif Jameel Hall, Plaza Level, Tel 02 2615 3318 “Indelible,” a photographic exhibition by Randa Shaath. Shaath takes her camera inside the homes of family and friends and acknowledges the everyday objects, moments and spaces that we often overlook, granting them a grace that evokes the people that breathe life into them (closing 18 May).
Picasso 30 Hassan Assem, off Brazil St, Zamalek, Tel 02 2736 7544 “Experimental 1,” paintings and sculptures by Hisham Abdallah (closing 15 May).
El Sawy Culturewheel End of 26th of July St, under the 15th of May Bridge, Zamalek, Tel 02 2736 8881/6178/2737 4448 Word Hall “The Spring Salon 2016” (closing 9 May). “Doors of Baheyya,” 40 oil paintings on canvas by Omaima Al-Sisi depicting the ancient and traditional doors of Egypt. She also reveals the tales, people and places beyond these doors that reflect the heritage and the breathtaking beauty, in addition to the simplicity and splendour, of the Egyptian people (11-19 May).
The Shelter Art+Photography 3 Taha Hussein St, 1st floor of Al-Yamama Centre, Zamalek, Tel 02 2737 2589 “Colours and Smiles,” a photography exhibition by Ashraf Al-Mahrouky and Samo Rera. Two photographers on a mission to put smiles on the faces of children in rural and under-privileged areas. Most of the proceeds of this exhibition will be used to build playgrounds in poor areas (8-22 May).
SOMA Art 14 Maraashli St, Zamalek, 2nd floor, Apt 4, Zamalek, Tel 012 2242 9292 “This Is Not A Parallelogram,” a collaboration between artists Mohamed Al-Maghraby, and Mohamed Abdallah. The exhibition is a unique representation of their journey of building forms through experimental works of art (closing 5 May).
Zamalek Art Gallery 11 Brazil St, Zamalek, Tel 02 2735 1240 Venue I “Time Intermezzo,” paintings by Wael Darwesh (closing 9 May). Venue II “Hymn to the Sun,” sculptures by Ahmed Abdel-Tawwab (closing 9 May).
