‘The Art Will Sell Itself’

By: Dana Farouk 

@danahfarouk

The Bright Lights, Big Shadows exhibition opened mid-February and presented the works of young contemporary photographers inspired by alienation and the longing for tranquility.

Exhibition Curator Henry Woo discussed the struggles that photographers experience in Egypt and how they use their art to address social issues. 

He said there was a lack of diversity in non-commercial exhibition spaces in Egypt which regard the talent behind the work and instead prioritized the monetization.

“I want photographers to be good artists first and then the art will sell itself,” Woo said.

Non-commercial exhibitions would give photographers a platform to talk about their art and the meaning behind their work rather than prioritize the monetary value. 

These exhibitions also distribute a sheet that collects short messages, known as art statements, from the photographers describing their work if they wish to instill a specific idea in their audience’s minds. 

Many artists use their photography to address controversial topics that are not generally acceptable in Egyptian society. 

“Artists are troublemakers,” said Woo. 

Exhibition photographersNada ElShorbagy, for example, explored gender identities through fashion, one of her photographs showed a man wearing a dress. 

Woo explained that an elderly woman came to the exhibition and mentioned that the piece made her feel uncomfortable. 

“People told me that my art made them uncomfortable, and I just think that is the difference between genuine art and plain decor,” said Shady Habiba, one of the artists showcased at the exhibition. 

Habiba’s art statement for the exhibition was Call for Peace (2020). 

“I don’t like writing a paragraph that would limit the audience’s interpretation to one meaning, I’d rather leave questions than give answers,” Habiba said.

Woo believes that artists try to break conformities and stereotypes, and give people something to think about. 

Artists may not at first make the meaning completely clear to the audience. That way they attract their attention and then show them the meaning through a deeper analysis of the art. 

“There’s some power to being subtle, there’s some power in showing you a different side of things,” Woo added. 

Woo also discussed that the lack of publications, in both Arabic and English, are leading to a lack of constructive criticism. 

“There could be a blog that would let artists talk to each other, help each other, and learn from each other,” he said. 

He mentioned that the photography scene would improve in Egypt if artists supported each other rather than competed with one another.

Cairo-based photographer Ahmed Tarek explained that exhibitions usually cover specific themes which therefore limit his contribution and participation. He added that he would rather have his own solo exhibition than mold his work into a requested theme. 

“Some exhibitions aren’t well organized and that wouldn’t be fair to my work because the audience would be quick to judge the artists rather than the management of the exhibition,” Tarek said.

Tarek also mentioned that he struggled with quality printing and publishing that would allow him to publish a book. In terms of expenses, the printing scene doesn’t differentiate between an individual artist and a magazine publication.