 Pack of Cards
By Madame Sosostris
I am truly amazed, my sweets, at how exciting the city's artistic energy has become. This has certainly been a summer of plenty when it comes to unique events of the cultural kind. Just last week, I witnessed the birth of a fantastic concept, namely, the new Metro Art Gallery that has been established at the entrance of the underground metro station within the Opera House grounds.
The gallery's first exhibit includes a collection of paintings by budding artists from Alexandria. Amongst those taking part are Walid Jahin , Hani El-Sayed, Asmaa Youssef, Mohamed Abul-Magd and Mohsen Abdel-Fattah. On display until 25 September, the show includes paintings, sculptures and installations.
Now that's what I call metropolitan!
Actually, Culture Minister Farouk Hosni and Cairo Opera House Director Samir Farag were quite busy with inaugurations last week. In addition to the one I just described above, they also opened a show featuring the works of Esmat Dawestashy at the Opera's main art gallery. On until 25 September, the exhibition is entitled "The Departure of Dada the Enlightened", and consists of 200 paintings spanning his career from 1962 till today. Dawestashy himself says he "defined dada the enlightened as follows: it is the creative identity inside every human being... it is so real without limitations, it represents all pretty things in our life whether in the past, present or future... the enlightened dada this time will depart never to return... he will stay silent because he has nothing more to stay." Chilling words, I suppose, but then again, I can't help but think how right he might be.
Also opening at the Opera House complex this week is an exhibition of paintings by two very dear friends of mine, Amani Albert Abdel-Malek and Samia Ali Kamel. I have been following these two talented artists' work for some time now, and I can assure you that the bright colours and pastoral scenes they specialise in will certainly add an exciting touch of beauty to the lively atmosphere at the Hanager Art Center, where the show is taking place. Titled "La Vie en Rose", the exhibit runs through 25 September.
Onward to the world of cinema! Next Sunday, sweeties, my friend, the director Marian Khouri, will be showing her just-completed documentary chronicling the lives of six wonderful women whose passion was cinema. Aziza Amir, Fatma Roushdi, Behidja Hafez, Amina Mohamed, Assia and Marie Queenie are their names, and anyone who's familiar with the genre will immediately recognise their importance as pioneers in the field, during its glory days when Cairo was truly the Hollywood of the East. Produced by Youssef Chahine, the documentary is sure to be a winner. Looking forward to seeing you at the premier, which takes place at the Opera House.
 My sincerest congratulations also go to Yasser Ibrahim, who has just been named Commerzbank's new chief representative in Cairo. Ibrahim has been working for the German bank since 1991, in various positions in the Middle East and at the head office in Frankfurt. I can't tell you how happy I am that he's back home again.
Helmi Bedeir, the newly- appointed Egyptian Ambassador to Italy, has just inaugurated an art exhibition entitled "The Artistic Dialogue between the Egyptian and Italian Woman" at the Egyptian Cultural Centre in Rome. The exhibition was supervised by my dear colleague, art critic and artist Nagwa El-Ashri, and consisted of painting, photography, sculpture and ceramics by 70 artists from both Egypt and Italy. The opening was followed by a show performed by the Egyptian and Italian folk dance troupes. And the best part, my dears, is that according to Abdel- Moneim Mo'awad, the Egyptian Cultural Counselor in Rome, the centre's new cultural season will focus on finding even more links between Egyptian and Italian cultures.
In line with the World Summit on Sustainable Development held recently in Johannesburg, The Queen Waters ballet, a prose poem written by Nazih Girgis, the founder and chairman of the US-Mid-East Music & Arts Council, was performed by five Egyptian girls between the ages of 10 and 15: Rana Reda; Nashwa Dahab; Nadia Shokry; Sarah Sherif; and Hedy Ibrahim. Performed under the auspices of Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Mahmoud Abu Zeid, the ballet was choreographed by Fatma Marzouk and sponsored by the Water Unit at the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Last week, the ballet also played in Sharm El- Sheikh on the occasion of the grand finale of the Reading For All Festival, held under the auspices of Mrs Suzanne Mubarak. Governor of South Sinai Hassan Afifi granted Girgis the governorate's shield for his work.
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