Exorcising the familiar
Three German-Egyptian groups of artists collaborated for one month and presented the fruits of their labours at the Goethe Institut Cairo. Colette Kinsella speaks to the artists about their work
Bruno Wank, Munich and Mohamed Shukry, Cairo
Bruno Wank is a regular visitor to Cairo and, like many visitors before him, is fascinated by the concept of the mashrabiyya -- a screen which allows the person behind to see out without permitting the outside world to see in. In their joint installation projects "Cairo Taxi" and "Bedroom" the artists seek to turn the world inside out, the net result of which can be seen in the office of the Director of the Goethe Institut and in the garden surrounding the building. The director's office has been turned into a Cairo street for the duration of the exhibition, and contains one of the most omnipresent of Cairo's symbols -- a taxi, complete with obligatory hangings, plush interior and a wonderful oily bouquet. The taxis of Cairo, an integral part of any street scene, have interested both artists for many years. A taxi is not merely a means of transport, and a taxi ride is more than just a journey. Attached to both journey and vehicle is etiquette and each trip becomes an adventure in itself -- how to talk to the driver; how to bargain; talking equals friendship; friendship implies a higher price will be expected and less easily refused; should one therefore remain aloof, avoid conversation with the driver, perhaps forgoing an interesting encounter with a "real Cairene"? This rich culture is concealed from many and the installation is an expression of the artists' fascination with the richness of such a seemingly uncomplicated act as hailing a lift.
The "inside-out" concept is continued in the garden of the Goethe Institut in which an interior sphere is projected onto an outdoor environment. Shukry's "Bedroom" video installation pulls back the covers on an intimate personal space revealing it unceremoniously to the outside world. Visitors encounter the interior in the exterior of the garden, and are then taken through a darkened corridor in which they meet "soundless faces, with indefinite expressions of endless mute sounds echoing the screaming features of our deafening life". The crowds; the masses; noise; confusion; avoiding people; dodging objects; stepping on and off pavements; faces in the crowd and in your face -- an inescapable reality of the metropolis. In his "Faces" installation Shukry projects a crowd scene onto strips of canvas hung at intervals inside a darkened narrow corridor, perfectly recreating the claustrophobic, crowded atmosphere of a bazaar in an interior setting.
How does it feel to be invited to a country such as Egypt to collaborate with artists from a culture so different to one's own? Bruno Wank sees it as jumping between two worlds, between the lush mountainous Munich and the deserts of Egypt. In his "World Jumper" installation, Bruno places the audience between two screens -- one red, one green -- to watch a runner approaching, disappearing in space (the gallery) and landing on the other side.
Love Story Project -- Mahmoud Hamdy, Cairo and Florian Thalhofer, Berlin
The Love Story Project is a multi-media installation initiated by German artist Florian Thalhofer. He has always been fascinated by the subject of relationships, finding in them a theme which plays an important role in societies and cultures East and West. When the idea for the project was suggested, the Egyptian artist Hamdy asked himself the question: "Is it really true that love stories are different in all cultures or are they the same?" Hamdy's fascination is with the universal aspects of human character. Each individual operates in his own sphere and impacts on his immediate environment but the human character transcends cultural barriers.
The idea behind the project was to collect love stories from Cairo and Berlin and present them within a computer network environment. Young people from both cities were filmed talking about their experiences and giving their opinions on relationships. The project extends to include an interactive Web site and answering machine in Berlin. Members of the public can make contributions to the project by e-mail or ring up the answering machine and tell their own story. The German artist was surprised at the enthusiastic response to the project, both in Berlin and Cairo, and was particularly amazed at the candid nature of the interviews conducted with young Egyptians.
The project attempts to delve behind cultural taboos to reveal the true nature of relationships. The world behind these façades is exposed via interview sequences screened on several monitors. Our link with the interviewees is via a type of neural network represented by the computer network. The audience becomes caught up in the fabric of the project and the screening room becomes a stage for the non-linear representation of human relationships.
The project is in a constant state of evolution. An extension of the project in CD-ROM form is planned. Where the project will finish is anybody's guess and Florian Thalhofer refuses to place limitations on its scope. "I'm not even sure myself what the project is," he says, "but I am really looking forward to seeing where it will go."
Spectacle for an Imaginary Audience -- Chris NŠgele, Stuttgart and Iman Issa, Cairo
Literally the highlight of the exhibition, comprising a large, brilliantly lit house of light located on the roof of the Goethe Institut. The installation is visible from Tahrir Square and aims to explore the dynamics between the outside world of the street and interior, private spheres. Iman Issa is interested in the dynamics of street life and the elaborate displays that compete for attention in many areas of our lives. The interior of the lighthouse is hung with crystals and white silk, indicative of the many objects we use to line our homes. NŠgele and Issa ask the audience to question the encroachment of the exterior world upon our private lives and to consider the dynamics of everyday interaction. The artists are interested in the blurred line drawn between the private and public and play with our associations by juxtaposing the expected with the unexpected. The installation is accompanied by a soundtrack which mimics everyday sounds such as traffic -- not that such a soundtrack is actually required given the project's location in the heart of downtown Cairo. The path to the roof leads through the library which has been modified somewhat for the purposes of the project. Visitors are invited to walk through the high-ceilinged rooms and experience the change in the interior -- the once-hallowed serenity is replaced by loud, disturbing noise which echoes through the shelf-lined interior. Again, the expected is replaced by the unexpected and we question our own sense of identity in the face of the unknown.
Chris NŠgele's invitation to the public to become involved in the House of Dialogue, as the overall project is called, is represented by the neon-lit rope ladder installation in the garden which greets us.
