CAIRO - In his latest exhibition, Egyptian artist Ibrahim el-Baridi uses cloth and thread to freeze the magnificent movements of the tanoura dancer who has transcended the world, in Rakasat el-Tanoura (Tanoura Dancing), that aims to revive Egypt's folkloric heritage through his works. El-Baridi focuses in this exhibition on the tanoura dance, which is usually performed by Sufi men who spin like the dervish dancers in the Levant and Turkey, wearing long, elaborate and colourful skirts that make a beautiful image when they whirl in circles to reach a state of inner purity and closeness to God. "Tanoura is an Egyptian spiritual dance that many people like to watch. It is a folkloric theme and part of Egyptian heritage that I wanted to share in my exhibition," el-Baridi said. El-Baridi's works are not oil on canvas, but rather made out of cloth and thread. His works use childlike shapes as he makes people look like dolls in a festive world of colours and happiness. "I like using thread in my work. It is usually looks beautiful even if it is sewn randomly. I also use sackcloth, and I really like this kind of cloth because it makes people feel that my art is so close to them," el-Baridi told The Egyptian Gazette in an interview. Tanoura dancing is the dominant theme of his exhibition, but there are also some works that feature Egyptian life and festivities during Ramadan and in everyday life. His works are also full of Egyptian people and the dynamic images from the streets, like the man riding a bicycle while balancing bread on his head, the batatas (sweet potato) vendor, or the man who sells araksous (liquorice juice). "In my exhibitions, I usually tackle life in the narrow alleys of Egypt. I still have many memories of my childhood and I'm always keen to show those memories in my art. That's why my work is full of colours," said el-Baridi, who was born in the Nile delta town of Tanta in 1963. His work has been exhibited in many countries abroad and it has been well received. "I always try to show the spirit of my country, Egypt, in my works," he mentioned. "I also try to evoke the places where I lived when I was young in Tanta," he added. The exhibition Rakasat el-Tanoura (Tanoura Dancing) by Ibrahim el-Baridi is being held in Kunst Art Gallery, 28 Sherif St., Downtown Cairo (02/2391-2600). The exhibition runs until September 9.