Looking for somewhere to take your children during the Eid Al-Adha? Niveen Wahish and her children tried out an art workshop There are not many places around Cairo where adults can spend quality time with children away from the loud, incessant music and flashing lights which have become the city's norm. In search of one of those rare treats I took Walid, seven, and Nour, five, out to Fagnoon, otherwise known as Sabil Umm Hashem, which offers a day art workshop for youngsters on the Maryoutiya Canal off the Pyramids Road. We knew we had arrived when we saw a three-storey, hand-painted building snuggled among the green fields lying off the paved road. At first sight we didn't really know what to make of the building: everything about it looked rough and unsophisticated, and yet inviting. But as we walked in we were won over by the wrought-iron decorations, hand- painted linen, wood carvings, plants and the colourful kelims covering the floor. For the past couple of years Fagnoon has become a popular destination for school trips and individuals -- young and old, Egyptians and ex- pats (some of the staff speak English). Here they are encouraged by Fagnoon's owner, artist Mohamed Allam, to express themselves freely. Indeed, freedom is in the air and you can feel it as soon as you arrive. Once we had caught the mood we ventured out into the fields. Here, in the open air, the activities are open to anyone who chooses to paint on large wooden panels, or perhaps try some carpentry or silkscreen printing, or get their hands muddy from shaping clay on the pottery wheel -- whether or not you can shape it into something recognisable is not guaranteed, but there are people around to show you how to do it. When the art routine is over children are left to themselves to enjoy the freedom of the grounds. There are a horse, a donkey and sometimes a camel to ride, as well as two huge monkey bars and a small greenhouse to visit. They can also try their hands at bread making, which they put into a traditional brick oven to bake -- and eventually eat. I allowed four hours for the children to run through the whole gamut of activities. In the meantime, I sat with other parents who were not taking part and took pleasure in watching the children. Adults can pass the hours pleasantly, relaxing in the shade and reading or enjoying the view of the Abu Sir Pyramids in the background. We packed a picnic. Food and drink can be brought in and families are expected to make themselves comfortable. If you forget to take food you can buy feteer (pancakes) with honey or cheese, but this is the only food available. Allam insists that his art school is not a restaurant. He wants visitors to come for the art, not the food. Everyone at Fagnoon is friendly and helpful, and everyone is an expert on dealing with children. The children call each member of staff by a nickname, which the staff also use among themselves. Mohamed Allam's nephew Ahmed, better known as Toot, is the general coordinator for the centre, organising where each of the children should go and generally hovering around and talking about what they are doing, He also paints faces. Toot trained as a computer scientist, but art is his hobby. He says that, like most of the staff, he learnt much of what he knows on the job. This is, indeed, a place where anyone can develop their artistic and creative talents. Fagnoon offers courses for adults and children in basic art and craft techniques, often custom-made to suit the needs of each individual. Alongside the usual pottery, painting and silkscreen printing, the crafts taught include carpentry and wrought-iron working in the special carpentry workshop and iron smithy. Both workshops are used to manufacture the furniture on display on the first floor of the main building. The pieces are on sale and even exported, and special orders are accepted. Although the furniture manufactured here serves traditional purposes, it does not take a traditional shape. According to Toot, local wood -- such as mango wood -- is irregularly shaped. To manufacture traditional designs from that would mean that much of the wood would be wasted. So to make the most of the local wood, the furniture takes the shape of the curves of the logs. Floral designs are carved on the various pieces, making each a unique piece of art. While it might appear that Fagnoon is merely a fun place, it is much more than that. Allam has posted details of the concept behind Fagnoon on a board just in front of the entrance. In this he states that Fagnoon is a vision of how the local environment and its arts and crafts can be used and preserved, and how adults and children may learn through experimenting with art. Through Fagnoon, Allam lives that vision. He does not differentiate between dream and reality. He tries to bring to life whatever idea he learns from experiment. To him, Fagnoon is the model of an ideal society where there is freedom of expression, respect for one another and respect for the environment. He considers Fagnoon an example of a successful project which has created jobs. He does not worry about intellectual property rights. In fact, anyone who works with him is welcome to open his or her own workshop, and he will even help them do it despite the fact that their work will be an offspring of his. Practical information To reach Fagnoon from the Pyramids Road, turn on the Maryoutiya Canal towards Saqqara. Fagnoon is 12.5kms along the canal. If you are travelling by public transport, take a microbus in the direction of Saqqara and ask the driver to drop you off at Sabil Umm Hashem. Coming from the Mounib Ring Road, take the Badrashein- Maryoutiya exit. From this point it is 9.5kms to Fagnoon. One of the things you will notice just before you arrive is a bridge named after Nobel prize winner Ahmed Zuweil over the canal. Entry fee: LE25 per child. Parents do not pay a charge unless they are taking part.
