Culture Events: Picks for the weekend
Not sure what to do this weekend? Ahram Online recommends that you make origami, watch Syrian films, catch a music concert or view an exhibition. All this will happen Thursday through Sunday (14-17 March)
Ahram Online, Wednesday 13 Mar 2013
Thursday, 14 March
'The Other Side of the Mirror' screening in Bibliotheca Alexandrina at 7pm
Part of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina's celebration of Algerian female directors, the 2007 production by Nadia Cherabi is about a woman who gives up her child for unexplained reasons at the start of the film. Read more about the programme here.
Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Azarita, Alexandria
Meshwar band in concert at Darb 1718 at 8pm
Egypt's favourite reggae band, Meshwar uses reggae beats and melodies with Arabic lyrics to call for love, peace and good vibes. Watch their video from the Oufuky music festival in Alexandria here.
Qasr Al-Shamee St., Al-Fakhareen (behind the Hanging Church and the Amr Ibn Al-As Mosque), Cairo
Rango concert at Al-Dammah Theatre for Free Arts at 8:30pm
This Egyptian-Sudanese band will perform folk music from Northern Africa after touring Europe and Africa.
30 A, Al-Balaqsa Street, Abdeen, Downtown Cairo
'Sixth Floor' collective exhibition at the Viennoise Hotel
Curated by Yara Mekawi, this collective exhibition features diverse work, including graffiti, video art, photography, installations and more by a group of emerging artists. Challenged by Mekawi to answer the question 'What are your most memorable moments in recent years?' this bunch of contemporary artists set out to unleash their recent memories in the form of art.
Among the artists participating in this exhibition are Mina Nasr (drawing on the wall), the Mona Liza Bridges (graffiti) and Basem Samir (graphic photography), among others. Today is the last chance to see the exhibition.
11 Mahmoud Bassiouny St., Downtown Cairo
Friday, 15 March
Hakawy International Festival for Children at the Hanager Theatre, all day
The festival will take place from Wednesday to Saturday at the Hanager Theatre, featuring storytelling, clowns and theatre for children. Today there will be notable performances, including 'Transformers' by Outa Hamra at 4:30pm, in addition to African drumming and Origami.
Cairo Opera House grounds, Zamalek, Cairo
DOX BOX 2013 Documentary Film Festival in Syria Global Activity at Studio El-Madina at 6pm
Several cultural institutions in Alexandria will join forces from 15 to 18 March to host DOX BOX 2013 for Syria Global Day, an event dedicated to showcasing the real lives of Syrians through handpicked films and YouTube videos. There will also be debates and roundtable discussions about the role of art in Syria's armed insurgency, in addition to live testimonies, experience-sharing and artistic evenings.
Tonight there will be a film screening of 'In the Morning I'm Scared, In the Evening I Sing' by Salma El-Deiry and Rola Lathkani; YouTube showings; and a presentation of and dialogue about the experience of Egyptian artists in Syrian refugee camps in Turkey.
The event will also feature a photography exhibition on Syrian children by Hamdy Reda. Read more on the event and complete programme here.
Studio El-Medina: 8 Talaat Harb Square, in front of the Egyptian Stock Exchange, El-Raml Station, Alexandria
'Semsara' screening at the Sufi Bookstore at 7pm
This 2011 production by Ron Fricke is a non-narrative documentary film. It is filmed over four years, in 25 different countries across all continents.
"Semsara explores the wonders of our world from the mundane to the miraculous, looking into the unfathomable reaches of man's spirituality and the human experience. Neither a traditional documentary nor a travelogue, Semsara takes the form of a nonverbal, guided meditation," according to Semsara's official website.
12 Sayed El-Bakry Street, Zamalek, Cairo
'Silence of Tunes' exhibition by Hend El-Falafly at the Safarkhan Gallery
In 'Silence of Tunes,' emerging artist Hend El-Falafly explores the female body in pencil, expressing the changing dynamics of female identity in Egypt and the Middle East.
6 Brazil Street, Zamalek, Cairo
Saturday, 16 March
Egypt Independent's 'Ya Mosahel' event at Darb 1718 at 7pm
English-language weekly the Egypt Independent hosts this cultural event to raise funds for the paper, which is at risk of closure. The concert will feature a diverse line-up of independent musicians, including Like Jelly, Maii Waleed, Ze Khodz, Ramy Essam and Hany Bedair.
The newspaper's choice of musicians appears to reflect its independent nature. Read more here.
Qasr Al-Shamee Street, Al-Fakhareen, Old Cairo (behind the Hanging Church and the Amr Ibn Al-As Mosque)
El-Ghouri Tanoura Group at the Wekalet El-Ghouri at 7:30pm
Expect traditional dance, vibrant music and colourful performances by El-Ghouri Dance Group this Saturday. They play every Saturday, Monday and Wednesday.
3 Mohamed Abdou Street, behind Al-Azhar Mosque, Cairo
Missa Solemnis at the Cairo Opera House at 8pm
The Cairo Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Jiri Petrdlik, and A Cappella Choir with choirmaster Maya Gvineria will perform Beethoven's Missa Solemnis. Soloists of the evening are: Silvana Mihova (soprano), Renata Dobosz (alto), Zdzislaw Kordyjalik (tenor) and Reda El-Wakil (bass).
Cairo Opera House, Main Hall, Zamalek
'Recording against Regimes' exhibition at Darb 1718
'Recording Against Regimes' explores the role of visual technology in the context of socio-political change by showcasing video art and films generated in Poland in the 1980s, in Germany in the 1990s, and in post-revolution Egypt. Read more here.
Qasr El-Shamee Street, Al-Fakhareen, Old Cairo (behind the Hanging Church and the Amr Ibn Al-As Mosque). Metro station: Mar Girgis
Sunday, 17 March
Opening of 'The Birds of the Revolution' origami exhibition at The British Council at 5pm
Origami artist Ossama Helmy hosts an interactive origami exhibition and workshop. The artist will invite the audience to build upon his existing works of Japanese paper-folding to express their feelings and views on the revolutions and Arab Spring through origami. Read more about Helmy's work here.
192 Al-Nil St., Agouza, Giza
Opening of 'On My Forest Land' exhibition by Hala Abu Shady at the Mashrabiya Gallery at 7pm
In 'On My Forest Land,' visual artist Hala Abu Shady tackles issues of heritage and identity across Mediterranean societies. Intrigued by symbols and images of Egyptian society and using photographs of herself, along with pictures from Facebook and Twitter, the artist produced a show of photomontages and sound art that aims to capture the change and multiculturalism that characterises contemporary society.
The exhibition will run until 11 April.
8 Champollion Street, Downtown Cairo
'CMYK' exhibition by Mutaz Elemam at the Tache Art Gallery
Following a five-day pop-up exhibition at Zamalek’s Left Bank in the last week of February, paintings by Sudanese artist Mutaz Elemam will be showcased at the Tache Art Gallery in Designopolis. This series of paintings overflows with rich and vibrant colour, a key characteristic of Elemam’s work.
'CMYK' is curated by Maie Yanni in collaboration with Tache Art. Today will be the last chance to view the exhibition.
S-139 Designopolis, located at Km 38 on the Alexandria Desert Road, Sheikh Zayed City, Cairo
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