Sunday night marked the opening of "Environment & Life" - an exhibition at the Nile Diplomatic Club in Giza. Artists and photographers gathered to present a visual call to consider the environment and contemplate the beauty that comes from nature. Dominated by paintings, the exhibition highlighted such works as a beautiful vase of wild flowers by Olya Samy, Chinese and Japanese silk and rice paper paintings by Ebtissam Zaki and brightly colored images of Aswan by Soha Tawfik. Photographers included Nada al-Kouny with framed black and white photos including a particularly peaceful shot of roses in a vase and an entrance of an old building. Perhaps the most environmentally conscious works included the photographs of Gharb Soheil by environmental photographer Hoda Baraka. Building on a previous collection of pictures, Baraka returned to Aswan to capture the nature and wildlife scenes that represent what inspires her in her work as an environmental consultant, journalist, project manager and teacher. In fact, the theme behind the exhibition is Baraka's idea, “I wanted to start opening a conversation about the environment,” explains the photographer, “although the guidelines for “environmentally charged” artwork may have blurred as we gathered every one's work together, I think we have brought out a love of nature that then may develop into an understanding of the need to protect it.” Other artists seem to have stuck more closely to the plan, painter Sami Salem's animal portraits spoke strongly of an admiration of the animal kingdom and two paintings by Hoda al-Kouny depicted the oases, an area in desperate need of environmental protection. The exhibition will be ongoing till 29 June and is located at the Nile Diplomatic Club at 149 al-Nil Street, just after the tunnel at the end of Bahr al-Azam Street.
