2016

My artistic practice over the past year or so has been derived from Structures that surround prominent entities—usually governmental— with the aim of protecting them. Such structures visually intrude the landscape of a space and its aesthetic calmness; the structures then become perceptibly misplaced. I have worked before on the green fence in downtown Cairo and other neighborhoods, which usually exists to limit movement in public areas. This time the visual structure I am referring to is constructed to shield specific spaces. It is the curved, colorless, cement fence that surrounds lots of governmental buildings in Egypt—to contain and limit the damage of bombs— and is spreading more everyday. The Cement units are placed one next to the other creating stretched long lines that are curved from top and bottom. Thus, once walking by, you feel like you are virtually in a passageway that enlarges and condenses sounds.

My project comprises building an inflatable colorful fence, turning what is usually rigid and intimidating into a welcoming and playful structure. Inflatables are generally used for kids’ outdoors games and for advertising purposes