‘Contemporary Egypt: What the eyes don’t see’ is an exhibition being held in Mexico to show more about Egypt and to boost tourism.
“The exhibit shows them contemporary Egypt. Egypt is not camels and pyramids. The photos represent the deep meaning of Egypt to the country that lies far away from it,” Moustafa Awad, the cultural coordinator of the event, told The Egyptian Gazette.
The expo is co-organised by La Universidad de Comunicación (University of Communication) as a Mexican partner hosting the event and La Casa de Egipto (House of Egypt) cultural centre as the Egyptian partner. Awad is the cultural coordinator from the Egyptian part and Eva Huerta is the Mexican producer.
The exhibit features the work of thirty photographers on topics related to touristic sites, pottery making, crafts, marine tourism, heritage cafes, medical tourism in Siwa, nightlife in Egypt, mosques, churches, artefacts in museums and temples.
“Not only places but also customs and traditions, culinary and the different costumes in many towns in Egypt,” added Awad, who is a graphic and advertising designer at the Culture Ministry.
In 2019, Awad represented Egypt as a graphic designer at an exhibition held in Mexico along with other artists from 20 countries. During that visit he met with representatives from the Casa de Egipto.
“They suggested I should stage an exhibition by Egyptian photographers in Mexico featuring works on touristic places in order to boost tourism,” he said. “The idea was great. After I returned to Cairo, I contacted many photographers who welcomed the idea and sent their works to the organisers there,” he added.
The exhibit featured a video about Egypt and its scenic places in every governorate. The 4-minute video is created and directed by Awad.
Egypt and Mexico launched their diplomatic relations in the late 1950s. Since then, the mutual ties have been progressing in different fields, according to a State Information Service report.
Attending the expo opening ceremony on July 16 were Khaled Shamaa, the Egyptian Ambassador to Mexico, Maha Anany, Consul of Egypt in Mexico, Salvador Corrales, Dean of the University of Communication, Eva Huerta, the cultural producer of the event and Sergio Cardenas, first Mexican director of the Cairo Symphony.
The exhibition was originally planned to run until August 22 in Mexico City, but because of its success, it will move to other states, Consul Anany said.
“Many Mexican associations have said they want to hold the exhibition in their cultural spaces, such as the Cultural Centre of Tijuana, and other artistic centres in the states of Veracruz and Queretaro,” Anany told The Egyptian Gazette.
“Visitors are amazed and excited when they discover the richness of Egyptian culture and are curious to know more and even to travel to this country,” Anany added.
“They have discovered the cultural, natural and architectural riches to be found in the country beyond the images touted by the media. They also became aware of the similarities that Mexicans share with Egyptians. This sample has occasioned in several of the spectators a lot of desire to travel to Egypt,” she added.
According to Anany, the average age of the visitors to the photographic exhibition is between 4 and 60.
“Some schools have organised field trips to the expo,” she added.
Anany pointed out that many Mexican newspapers have covered the exhibition including El Economista, La Jornada, Time Out México and La Crónica.
Casa de Egipto is the Egyptian cultural centre responsible for all types of cultural cooperation between Egypt and Mexico, Anany said.
For the upcoming cultural Egyptian-Mexican events, Anany said that Egypt is expected to be the guest country in the Guanajuato International Film Festival which will be held in September-October 2022.
“We are expecting to stream (in the Cairo Opera House) an orchestra symphony that will be held in Mexico on 15th September 2021, on the occasion of the 50th memory of the great Mexican musician Juan Gabriel.
“In addition to organising — in cooperation with the Association of Friends of the Biblioteca of Alexandria in Mexico — the Egyptian festival in Mexico on 30th October which will include many events expressing the similarities and differences between both cultures,” Anany added.
