The Bridge is “an unparalleled gathering of premier and emerging artists focusing on what they hold in common through their cultures and creeds”
In the midst of the increasing chasm of discord and misunderstanding that exists between the Middle East and the West, the 7th CARAVAN Exhibition of Visual Art titled The Bridge will open on April 4 in Cairo, Egypt, after its launch in Paris, France during the United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week.
Through the founding sponsorship of SODIC from Egypt, and with CARAVAN’s longstanding partner the British Council, The Bridge is an East-West traveling art exhibition organized and curated by CARAVAN, an inter-religious and intercultural peace-building NGO. It showcases the work of 47 premier and emerging contemporary visual artists from different faith and cultural backgrounds. As a multi-religious group, the artists are making the case for using that which we have in common as the foundation for the future of our world.
The Bridge will open in Cairo, Egypt on April 4, 2015 at 6 PM at SODIC’s Westown Hub with special guest Khaled El Nabawy, the award-winning Egyptian actor (Fair Game, Kingdom of Heaven, The Citizen, The Emigrant) and be on exhibit for a month. Then the exhibition will travel throughout Europe and the United States, and will be held in a variety of venues (cathedrals, museums, galleries, interfaith centers, etc) before closing in 2016.
As the exhibition travels, it takes with it a fundamental message of intercultural and inter- religious harmony and provides a link not only within communities but also between communities. The Bridge serves as a common starting point on which to build, toward seeing the development of a world that inherently respects and honors cultural and religious diversity, living and working together in harmony.
The Bridge exhibition involves a diverse range of visual artists. Participating artists include women and men, from premier contemporary artists to emerging younger artists, from different religious backgrounds and 15 countries. Each artist has submitted one original work (done specifically for the exhibition) addressing the theme “The Bridge,” focusing on what they hold in common through their cultures and creeds, illustrating their ideas of how to build bridges between us all.
The Bridge exhibition in Cairo is co-curated by CARAVAN Founder/President, Rev. Paul- Gordon Chandler and noted artist, Dr. Reda Abdel Rahman.
The 2014 CARAVAN Exhibition of Visual Art was held first in Cairo at the Museum of Modern Art, then in Washington D.C. at the renowned National Cathedral, following by in New York City at the historic Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. The exhibition involved 48 premier Egyptian and Western artists. Titled “AMEN: A Prayer for the World,” the art exhibition sought to express the deep, fundamental acknowledgment of power and hope for all people. Over 200,000 people viewed the exhibition in these three venues. The 2013 CARAVAN interfaith exhibition was held first in Cairo and then at the world renowned St. Paul's Cathedral in London, attracting over 120,000 people during the five-week exhibition.
Participating Artists:
ALI ABDEL MOHSEN
ISABELLE BAKHOUM
NAGLA SAMIR
ASMAA TAKKIEDDINE
KARIM ABD EL MALAK
PATRICK ALTES
AZADEH GHOTBI
LILIANNE MILGROM
QAIS AL SINDY
BRITT BOUTROS GHALI
LINA MOWAFY
RANA CHALABI
CARELLE HOMSY
MAI REFKY
RANIA EL HAKIM
EL ZAEEM
MALAK EL SHAZLY
REDA ABDEL RAHMAN
GALILA NAWAR
MANAL DEEB
REEM HASSAN
GAMAL EZ
MARC GOLDSTAIN
RONEN SIMAN TOV
GUIRGUIS LOTFI
MARIE BORALEVI
SACHA SCHWARTZ
HAYAM ABDEL BAKY
MARWA ADEL
SAMEH ISMAEL
HELEN ZUGHAIB
MOHAMED ABOUELNAGA
SAMIA ZOGHLAMI
HILDA HIARY
MOHAMED ARDASH
SHAI AZOULAY
HISHAM ABDALLAH
MOHAMED MONAISEER
SIONA BENJAMIN
HISHAM EL ZEINY
MONA EL BAYOUMI
VALERIE RAUCHBACH
HOSSAM SAKR
MOTAAZ EL EMAM
YASSER ROSTOM
HOURIA NIATI
MYRIAM BOCCARA
