SENSING CAIRO
Azza Ezzat
︎︎︎

Between the formal governmental city and the informal community’s reactions, I search for hidden cities that are built by impressions, memories and perceptions. Through the work, a new imagined map is emerged from gained impressions and derivations.

My contribution pivots mainly around understanding space and creating possible methods of engaging with and configuring that space, in an attempt to experiment and expand the ways through which my experience of the city as a citizen overlaps and informs my artistic interest and concerns.

Themes: Premonitions of Bodies, Counter-Scopic Regimes

Methods: Experimental, Counter-Cartography, Documenting the Mundane

[i] For another piece on sensing Cairo, see: A GEOPOETICS OF DUST by Aya Nassar

[ii] For another piece on meditation on an urban city-scape, see: ARCHITECTURE AS AN INTERSECTION: MOBILITY IN DOWNTOWN KAMPALA by Thomas Aquilina

Nasr City Bridges
50x50cm
pen and ink on paper

During the COVID curfew, we witnessed the current rabid and destructive reconstruction taking place all over Cairo, centred mainly around building and expanding a massive network of highways and causeways all over the city. Many people started complaining that Cairo will be reduced to nothing else than one endless highway and a gigantic bridge.

Above the bridge study
Nasr City Bridges
42x29cm
pen on paper

Under the bridge study
Nasr City Bridges
42x29cm
pen on paper

It is noticeable that the new planning aims to facilitate the flow of vehicles over the bridge and put traffic under the bridge, pedestrians, vehicles and bicycles, as a second priority.

Lighting Flicker Study
Nasr City Roads
42x29cm
pen on paper

Stemming from my desire to try and navigate the urban reality, I have begun to retrace the roads I used to walk and cycle on. Then try to notice the noncore elements that have changed.

One of these elements was the luminous flux of renewed streets’ lightings. They have changed the light from yellow to white, which makes an unusual flicker on pedestrians’ eyes.

Shadowless roads
Nasr City roads
55x25cm
pen and ink on paper

The second element was trees’ disappearance. almost all of the trees have been cut. No more shade on the roads. Cairo turned to be grayer than before, asphalt roads and buildings.

_ii

Azza Ezzat is a Cairo based visual artist. She is interested in urban observations and detecting human traces in the built environment. Between the formal city, monopolized by government planning, and the informal reactions of different communities of inhabitants, Ezzat searches for hidden cities that are built by impressions, memories and perceptions. Through the work of retracing those different visions, a new map of the city, emerges from the multiplicity of layers not seen before.

︎ @azza.ezzat.artist

Alfonse Chiu /// Anna Sango /// Aya Nassar /// Azza Ezzat /// Bothan Ahmed Botan /// Christiana Ajai-Thomas /// Chrystel Oloukoï /// Claudia Gastrow /// Dele Adeyemo /// Ella den Elzen /// Fozia Ismail /// Grace Adeniyi-Ogunyankin /// Huda Tayob ///

Ibiye Camp /// Iman Nagy /// Jacquelin Kataneksza /// k. eltinaé /// Khensani de Klerk /// Kosisochukwu Nnebe /// kyle malanda /// Lebogang Mokwena /// Léopold Lambert /// Marc Miller /// Maria Gabriela Carrilho Aragão /// Mário Barros /// Moad Musbahi /// Nasra Abdullahi /// Nivi Manchanda ///

SENSING CAIRO
Azza Ezzat
︎︎︎

Alfonse Chiu /// Anna Sango /// Aya Nassar /// Azza Ezzat /// Bothan Ahmed Botan /// Christiana Ajai-Thomas /// Chrystel Oloukoï /// Claudia Gastrow /// Dele Adeyemo /// Ella den Elzen /// Fozia Ismail /// Grace Adeniyi-Ogunyankin /// Huda Tayob ///

Ibiye Camp /// Iman Nagy /// Jacquelin Kataneksza /// k. eltinaé /// Khensani de Klerk /// Kosisochukwu Nnebe /// kyle malanda /// Lebogang Mokwena /// Léopold Lambert /// Marc Miller /// Maria Gabriela Carrilho Aragão /// Mário Barros /// Moad Musbahi /// Nasra Abdullahi /// Nivi Manchanda ///

SENSING CAIRO Azza Ezzat ︎︎︎

SENSING CAIRO
Azza Ezzat
︎︎︎