After an arduous journey, myself and my trusted driver Ayad finally reached our destination. Having driven through a maze of dusty narrow streets, hemmed in on both sides by rows of local shops, we reached an artistic oasis in the midst of the hectic but lively Ard El-Lewa. This month's exhibition to grace the walls of Artellewa is Mahmoud Hanafy's "Arousa (bride) project. Lining the walls are three pale wooden shelves, on which sit stuffed figurines. On the back shelf, these doughy figures are plain white, but the two side walls house rows of figures personalized and accessorized, brought to life by individuality. Hanafy has been working on the idea of the bride dolls for three years. He has made 3,000 of these white, lifeless figurines, leaving their real creation to whoever should so wish. In doing so, Hanafy is taking himself to the very root of the creative process, for here, what the artist is creating is the act of creation itself. The first stage of the Arousa project was as an installation in the garden of the Goethe Institute of 500 white dolls. Anyone who visits the gallery can see pictures of the garden as it was when occupied by these white figures, hiding among bushes and sitting in the fountain. "I wanted to develop the idea, said Hanafy, "so I held a workshop for children and adults alike to transform the dolls into their own idea of a bride. Hanafy, in this project, has adopted a popular Arab tradition and approached it from a refreshing angle. The custom is that of giving the bride-to-be a stuffed white cotton doll to decorate in her chosen image. Hanafy, however, gave the idea a new voice to "encourage children's creative ability to express without imposing a specific framework. Today, Artellewa will become Hanafy's cafe. The cafe is Hanafy's virtual space, traveling with him in conceptual form. Wherever he goes, Hanafy sets up workshops for children to experiment with art, giving them a unique opportunity to relax and create in a supportive environment. So why "café, I asked Hanafy. "We sit, we talk, we relax, we drink tea, coffee... he replies. It is immediately clear that Hanafy provides more than just a place for art, but a temporary form of escape from the pressure-cooker of Cairene life. In the past, Hanafy has worked with street children on interactive projects, offering them something entirely unique through a form of art accessible to children. This is directed towards adults as well. Standing before the tiny whitewashed studio in Ard El-Lewa, Hanafy explains to me that the adults who helped the children in these sessions ¬- coming from different backgrounds and careers - got to create their own brides. "An essential part of the process was the coordination between adults and children, and the adults delight in seeing the children create. Another aspect of the Arousa project was to introduce an idea that was neutral across cultural boundaries, and Hanafy is eager to make this Arousa project a worldwide phenomenon. Hanafy's friend, also a documentary filmmaker, took some of these bride dolls on a tour, distributing them to people around the world to design their own arousa. Visitors can see the figurines on tour through a photography display in the studio. As impressive as the project is, it would be more impressive to be confronted with the decorated figures in their entirety. For visitors to the gallery, as opposed to those who come primarily for the workshops, the full impact of the exhibition can only be appreciated by displaying the extent of this project rather than a taster. But this flaw is only to Hanafy's credit: The interactive nature of the project requires space in which children can work and play. Hanafy's experience in a range of artistic media is impressive to say the least. A graduate of the Fine Arts Academy, Hanafy has worked in theater and photography and has won a plethora of awards for his talent and dedication. The current exhibition in Ard El-Lewa will run until November 3. If you can find your way through the maze of Ard El-Lewa, you'll be rewarded by a gem of an exhibition. For more information (and directions) go to www.artellewa.com
