The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Most of Cairo’s art galleries are tucked away in the shady streets of Zamalek, taking sanctuary on the quieter side of town to examine the delicacies of Cairo’s visual art scene. Mashrabia Gallery, on the other hand, sits just off from the Egyptian Museum in Downtown. This month, the gallery has taken another step closer into the darkest depths of the city centre with new exhibition, ‘Journey Around my Living Room’ by Hala Elkoussy, which takes a camera lens to the gritty intricacies of Downtown.

The exhibition’s creation in the spring of 2012 was an attempt to draw the world’s eyes away from the abrasive images of this city in the media, and refocus attention on the overlooked nooks of calm. Entering the exhibition, visitors will find a wardrobe with its three thick wooden doors left ajar, as if it’s just been ransacked and abandoned in a flustered hurry. Peeking inside the doors, we found a jumble of forgotten junk; stacks of newspapers, hand-written notes and sepia photos are the most discernable. This introduction to the exhibition serves to remind viewers that they are entering a personal and subjective interpretation of a city and a home.

On Elkoussy’s journeys around Downtown as a street photographer, the artist attempted to capture the area in all its ramshackle glory; although the objects pictured are often broken, they retain dignity and beauty in their serene composition. Anyone who is even a little bit familiar with the intricacies of Egyptian culture will recognise the images displayed, as most depict common domestic imagery found throughout Egypt, such as abandoned chairs, the patterned oilcloth of street café tables and stray dogs. There are also a few shots that pay homage to hidden gems of the city such as its embattled plant life or detailed embellishments on a chair frame, all signifying the dusty beauty of the area.

All the objects have an antique, almost sepia hue to them, which represents Downtown perfectly. The show makes no mention of popular spots, the booming nightlife or the many cafés that have undeniably become part of the city. The artist instead presents a version of Downtown through sentimental remembrance, eternalised in a shabby-chic faded memory; one that cannot comprehend its current modernity.

In another city, this show would pit a powerful punch to those of us prone to nostalgia, but in the very city it represents, it’s a refreshing readjustment of our perception of Downtown. The exhibition reminds us that we sometimes need a different perspective to fully appreciate the city in which we live. The crux of this exhibition is its ability to put down on paper the parts of Downtown which we catch in the corner of our eye, but don’t focus on amid the clatter of human life, traffic and a revolution. Cairo is near impossible to distil into a frozen image, but the attempts to do so here remind us to take a step back, and apply a keener eye to what lies below the overt commotion.