Dreaming is fragile, insistent, and often interrupted, a vision of departure cut short by borders, a promise of paradise that reveals darker truths, or the unfinished projects that continue to shape cultural practice in Cairo. 

It’s Not Easy to Dream exhibition reflects on how art in this city has carried on, not through stability, but through vulnerability, persistence, and collective endurance. To dream is not to escape or collapse, but to hold relations, to name what is withheld, and to carve out continuity on precarious ground. It features works produced or shown in its programs between 2005 and 2025 by Esraa Elfeky, Ahmed Elshaer, Ahmed Badry, Ahmed Nader, Amir Abdelghany, Aya Elsayed, Imane Ibrahim, Shereen Lotfy, Reem El-Maghraby, Amr Elkafrawy & Jean-François Robin, Mohamed Ismail, Mohamed Abdelkarim, Marwan Elgamal, Mostafa Youssef, and Malak Yacout.

The exhibition is part of a month-long program with the same name that also includes: screenings from Cairo Video Festival archive curated by Habiba Sallam and Mena El Shazly, a workshop titled “But You Have to Try” on critical writing led by Ismail Fayed, and weekly tea-time gatherings.

Exhibition Opening October 9th at 7 pm. On view until November 6th. Open daily from 4 to 9 pm except Fridays.

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“But You Have to Try” is a workshop conceived and designed by Ismail Fayed for people who are interested in writing as a practice and in critical writing specifically, as well as those engaged with contemporary artistic practices and the ways we can speak about them from a critical position.

The workshop is part of “It’s Not Easy to Dream,” a month-long program celebrating 20 years of Medrar.

The workshop is intended for 8–12 participants. Participants are emergent artists and writers who already have a practice and are familiar with the process of writing. The workshop sessions will last roughly four hours each.The three sessions will feature guest contributions by Maha Maamoun, Ahmed Refaat, and Imane Ibrahim.
Application deadline: October 10, 2025. Apply via form link.

Session 1 – with guest Maha Maamoun

In the first session of the workshop “But You Have to Try,” guest artist, curator, and publisher Maha Maamoun presented different aspects of her artistic practice and its evolution across various media and modes of production. The discussion also explored the intersections and shared characteristics between independent art spaces and the political and economic contexts of the contemporary art scene from the late 1990s through the 2000s to the present.
Special thanks to Maha Maamoun

Session 2 – with guest Ahmed Refaat

In the second session of the workshop “But You Have to Try,” participants attempted to imagine a map of the contemporary art scene today, joined by writer, researcher, and curator Ahmed Refaat. He spoke about his experience as Communications Officer and Curatorial Coordinator at the Contemporary Image Collective, particularly in the project “If Not for That Wall.” Refaat also discussed participants’ proposals for imagined exhibitions and the importance of understanding the curator-writer’s role in facilitating and navigating contemporary artistic practices in their various forms.
Special thanks to Ahmed Refaat.

Session 3 – with guest Imane Ibrahim

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In The Pause, the program’s curatorial team turns the process of building It’s Not Easy to Dream inside out. Instead of concealing how the program and exhibition come together, from the first questions to the final selection, the team opens this process to collective reflection. The gathering revisits the same questions that shaped the program: What does it mean to dream within an institution? How does an artist-run space evolve without losing its original pulse? Who defines success, and for whom do we work?

We invite audiences to engage critically with Medrar’s history and contradictions, from its shift from collective to institution, to the changing notions of audience, community, and care. Together, we will reflect on what it means to work locally, to navigate generational gaps, and to sustain creative life in an art scene built on instability and persistence.

The It’s Not Easy to Dream program was conceived by Raneem ElHaddad, Marwa Benhalim, Mohamed Allam, Muhammed Yahya, Mona Khaliel.

“The Pause” Led by It’s Not Easy to Dream Curatorial Team, Wednesday, 15th October, at 7 PM

Gathering 2 – As part of It’s Not Easy to Dream, “The Silence After the Show,” a poetry circle with Lama Ahmed.

In the quiet that follows creation, we sit together through the aftermath of expression — between burnout, stillness, and renewal.

Participants are invited to bring poetry, text, or prose to share in response to the prompt, reflecting collectively on what remains after the show ends.

The Silence After the Show – A poetry circle with Lama Ahmed, Wednesday, October 22, at 7 PM.

“What We Hold On To” with Alaa Abdalkhalik

Through a psychological lens, this gathering reflects on the emotional and mental dimensions of working in the arts. Participants are invited to bring an object or photograph from the past twenty years of their artistic life and share its story, exploring shared values and forms of continuity.

“What We Hold On To” with Alaa Abdalkhalik, Wednesday, October 29th at 7 PM.

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A program for Cairo audiences consisting of three screenings: Between the Scene and the Unseen, a selection of 20 works from the festival’s archive screened in two parts, programmed by Mena El Shazly and Habiba Sallam, and Filthy Orchestra Revisited, a selection from Medrar’s production workshops over the past twenty years, programmed by Mena El Shazly. Together, the screenings reactivate the Cairo Video Festival archive, accumulated between 2005 and 2024 through eleven editions. Each edition offers an insight into current art practices, and into the local and global production of video art and experimental film.

We announce “⁠No Instructions Given,” an exhibition by Rodeina Fouad

What happens when the hand is no longer given a task?

«No Instructions Given» is a project by Rodeina Fouad that explores the hand as a site of tension between instinct and intention, presence and absence. Fouad works on removing the hand from its familiar functions and contexts through everyday movements reimagined in new settings, transforming it into both symbol and remnant that moves in a space without instructions, following an internal choreography shaped by memory and expressed through gestures carrying traces of bodily knowledge embedded in muscle memory.

The exhibition opens on Monday, 1st of September, 2025, from 7 – 9 PM at Medrar. And runs until Sunday, the 21st of September 2025, from 4 to 9 PM daily except Saturdays and Fridays.

Address: Medrar, 10 Gamal Eldin Abo ElMahsen, 8th floor, Garden City, Cairo

We announce “My Home Remembers Me Differently,” an exhibition by Melanie Partamian

In “My Home Remembers Me Differently”, Melanie Partamian draws on her family’s history of displacement from Greece, Syria, and Armenia to Egypt due to war and genocide. Home, for the artist, a space formed through loss, imagination, and reconstruction, becomes unstable, fragmented, and elusive by displacement and inherited trauma.

The exhibition brings together deconstructed home objects and family narratives to examine how memory, identity, and belonging are constructed. Everyday forms are altered and recontextualized to reveal how spaces carry the weight of personal and collective histories. The exhibition presents the tension between lived experience and inherited memory, suggesting that home, as both idea and structure, shapes how we are remembered, misremembered, or forgotten.

The exhibition opens on Monday, 1st of September, 2025, from 7 – 9 PM at Medrar. And runs until Sunday, the 21st of September 2025, from 4 to 9 PM daily except Saturdays and Fridays.

Address: Medrar, 10 Gamal Eldin Abo ElMahsen, 8th floor, Garden City, Cairo

“The Golden Narrative” presents works by designers engaging with the city as a space shaped by everyday encounters and shifting urban realities. Drawing on personal experiences, the participating artists reflect on how changes in Cairo’s public life and spatial structures register in the details of the built environment.

The exhibition resists fixed boundaries between art and design, and instead opens a space for experimentation—where printed matter, etching, and digital drawing operate as tools for constructing narratives tied to urban experience. It moves between image and text, form and context, questioning how transformation is felt, mapped, and internalized within one’s relationship to place.

As part of extended research projects, Youssef Ragheb in “Succubus” explores a mythical concept that reflects the complex relationship between desire and social control by reinterpreting the character of Succubus, a mythical demonic entity that recurs in many cultures throughout history. It represents the tension between repressed desire and societies striving to control it amidst the dominance of technological evolution.

The exhibition reimagines the concept of the Succubus through visual experiments that delve into the nature of desire and the self in the digital age from the perspective of human heritage, considering the interaction with technology and its modern media. It also explores how ancient myths can form and adapt to the digital world in light of the growing digital dominance, which allows the broadcasting of the digital body to multiple places at the same time.

Youssef Ragab uses the “Succubus” as a focal point for researching and exploring global folkloric heritage, where succubus are often represented as seductive and deadly feminine objects of desire that appear to seduce men through sexual activity in their sleep.

This archetype of the demonic female figure is a staple of mythology throughout ages and cultures, as in Lilith in the Babylonian Talmud, Lilu in the Epic of Gilgamesh, Sirens, and harpies in Greek mythology, Al Quarinah in Arabian mythology, “Al Nadaha” in  Egyptian urban legends, and the Succubus in medieval literature. Philosophically, in Carl Jung’s theories, Succubus often symbolizes integration of the ” shadow self,” which encompasses repressed desires, fears, and other rejected aspects of one’s psyche. Succubus represents the tension between desire and the self, leading us to an internal conflict with the darker parts of one’s psyche.

Through various techniques, Ragab blends cultural heritage with digitization, examining the impact of modern technology on reshaping ancient myths. He revitalizes the image of the Succubus through the simple yet intricate use of traditional mixed media such as inks, charcoal, and soft pastels on vintage paper, within a loosely bound visual narrative occasionally utilizing written text. Ragheb relies on a vast visual archive, incorporating symbols from global cinema like Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, medical illustrations, pop culture, and more, to reimagine the concept of Succubus through the lexicon of mythology, cinema, Japanese manga, meme culture, and written text as a narrative tool.

The exhibition opens on Sunday, February 9th, 2025, from 7 – 9 PM at Medrar.

and runs until Sunday, February 27th, 2025, from 4 – 9 pm except Fridays in Medrar.

Address: Medrar, 10 Gamal Eldin Abo ElMahasen, Garden City, Cairo.

Join us for the opening night, on Sunday,12th of January, 2025, at 7 PM at Medrar.

While public space functions as a realm for social interaction, it simultaneously acts as a contested field where forces of order and freedom intersect, in which the dynamics between urban design, surveillance, and street culture intertwine, reshaping the concepts of center and periphery.

“Along the Way” examines the power dynamics within the city, questioning the nature of public space and how rapid transformations reshape its role in everyday life. The exhibition explores the politics of land and place, shifts in urban planning, and the contradictions between order and chaos, freedom and authority, providing a critical perspective on the interaction between urban design and alternative forms of engagement, such as self-organization, improvisation, and irony.

The exhibition features works by three artists: Tawfig, Abdelrahman Mahmoud, and Dalila Hassanein. In Tawfig’s works, stories emerge from characters of various age groups from Upper Egypt, all bound by the shared driving profession. They navigate the same congested, endless roads, yet each has a unique story and a distinct personality. Portrayed in a caricatured style, these narratives balance simplicity and intricacy, through socially charged humor. Relying on a variety of materials, Tawfig highlights the adventures of his characters within a satirical social context: figures like Uncle Gamil, driving his Chevrolet, and Uncle Naiel, at the wheel of his Peugeot 504, are both marked by carefree simplicity. Meanwhile, Abu Elala, a young bulldozer operator and debris removal worker, appears proficient in his craft yet distant from realizing a more fulfilling life. In his work, Tawfig employs digital drawing techniques, and experiments with ink on book pages and printed paper.

Abdelrahman Mahmoud’s work reflects his personal experiences navigating the city and its diverse spaces, observing the contradictions that surround him—where chaos and freedom intersect. He raises questions about the impact of these tensions and the influence of the urban environment on shaping his perceptions of the city as a space for existence. For Mahmoud, the city transforms into a living stage, unraveling meanings of freedom and disorder. His compositions are filled with interwoven lines, using oil paint on layered paper cutouts to document the individuals he encounters during his journeys. His works adopt a dreamlike effect, reflecting scenes that evoke fragmented memories and embody personal visions.

As for Dalila Hassanein, she offers an alternative perspective on the traffic barriers and cones that dominate Cairo’s streets. And while their design suggests practicality and ease of use, these objects are imbued with connotations of authority and control, shaping the dynamics of public spaces. Hassanein explores the compatibility between European urban design and local practices, questioning how tools, originally intended for regulation, often end up symbolizing urban chaos and social strain. Using fragile materials, and to highlight the intangible restrictions imposed by such objects on everyday life, Hassanein constructs installations that echo the city’s streetscape, subtly disrupting movement to mirror urban realities. Her works critique the subtle mechanisms of control inherent in everyday infrastructure, reflecting gestures of apathy and resistance that are etched into the surfaces and walls of the urban landscape.

The exhibition runs until Sunday, 2nd of February, 2025, Open daily from 4 to 9 PM, except Friday.

Address: Medrar, 10 Gamal Eldin Abo ElMahasen, Garden City, Cairo.

Medrar announces “Where do I go after millions of years?” Solo exhibition by Amir Abdelghany

“Where do I go after millions of years?” Solo exhibition by Amir Abdelghany is an art project presenting an exploration of the issues of climate change and their effect on living creatures through a conceptualization of Centers of Evolution for the species most adaptable to changing environments — inspired by plant hybridization in agricultural greenhouses. The project questions the relationship between the human species and other creatures that may be more adaptable, as well as the possibility of genetic and organic self-evolution versus that of human extinction.

“Where Do I Go in Millions of Years?” is part of an extended project, posing Amir’s musings around our inherent ability to evolve, while comparing them to our role as functional agents in our immediate environments. The artist also attempts to understand the effects of inaudible frequencies in the communication of living creatures and the effect of said frequencies on cellular operations.

Abdelghany, through multiple mediums, produces three-dimensional and spatial compositions that embody a futuristic vision of creature evolution, suggesting the existence of fictional incubators that hybridize animal, plant and human cells.

Join us for the opening night, on Sunday, November 3rd, 2024, at 7 PM at Medrar.
The exhibition runs until Sunday, November 24th, 2024, Open daily from 4 to 9 PM, except Friday.

Address: Medrar, 10 Gamal Eldin Abo ElMahsen, Garden City, Cairo\

“I’m just a picture” is an act of reproduction and intervention, drawing from a collection of film posters, cassette tapes, comics, and advertisements spanning from the 1940s to the 1990s. Through repetition, layering, and combining various techniques, Hany Rashed reconstructs these elements, creating surfaces that appear stripped, weathered, and reassembled.

Rashed’s practice extends to using social media as an archival tool to explore how this imagery continues to persist, evolve, resonate, and inform our visual memory and social identity.

The exhibition opens on Tuesday, October 8th, at 7:00 PM at Medrar

and runs until Sunday, October 27th, 2024, from 4 – 9 pm except Fridays in Medrar.

Durational Memories: an Anti-Archive
Group Exhibition, Curated by Medrar for Contemporary Art

“If you tasted it, it would first taste bitter,
Then briny, then surely burn your tongue.
It is like what we imagine knowledge to be:
dark, salt, clear, moving, utterly free,
drawn from the cold hard mouth
of the world, derived from the rocky breasts
forever, flowing and drawn, and since
our knowledge is historical, flowing, and flown.” (p. 66).

Elizabeth Bishop’s (1983) “At the Fishhouses”

As the post-digital age reshapes our memory, characterized by the rapid consumption and production of information, Durational Memories: An Anti-Archive advocates for a more contemplative and reflective engagement with archival materials. The exhibition probes the connections between personal and collective memory, cultural identity, and the shifting perceptions of time.

Anti-Archive or Counter-Archive?

At its core, the exhibition interrogates the collective presence and relationships among the artworks, engaging with their cultural contexts and inviting viewers to reflect on how these relationships are constructed and remembered. The diverse range of works, created over the past decade, embodies an “anti-archive” approach, critiquing the limitations of conventional archival methods and proposing alternative ways of preserving and interpreting cultural histories.

Each work contributes to a broader dialogue on how we remember art and its role within our collective consciousness. By examining the temporal relationship between the artworks and their creation, the exhibition highlights the dissonance between the past and present, urging viewers to consider how archives might be remembered—or forgotten—over time.

The works form a small collection within the exhibition, exemplifying the practice of curating and archiving contemporary art. This approach not only reflects on how collections are constructed but also on their contribution to the preservation and interpretation of cultural heritage and art practices.

Opening: Tuesday 17 September, 7 PM. The exhibition is open daily from 4pm to 10pm

Address: Goethe Institute, 5 Al Bustan St, Downtown, Cairo

Medrar announces “Earth, Birds, and Metal Dragons”
Exhibition by Amr El Kafrawy

As a documentary and analytical act of representing urban expansion, referencing its impact on local communities, “Earth, Birds, and Metal Dragons” addresses the emerging geographies and relationships generated by current economic, socio-political structures which shape our urban infrastructure and environments. This is especially evident in the Delta region, where the expansion is clearly demarcated by the intersection of urban areas with agricultural lands.

The exhibition explores a range of contemporary responses to the city, transcending visual boundaries by penetrating and deconstructing spaces. A focus on fragmenting perception permeates the works, where overlapping images and distorted spaces evoke scenes of devoid fixed horizons. 

Textual interventions of Elkafrawy’s own poetic phrases further transforms the spaces into a contemplative state closely intertwining nature and urbanism offering a more philosophical reflection.

Using digital maps as raw materials and a primary resource, Elkafrawy captures the urban expansion of Egypt’s Delta region. He employs laser printers and powders on specially textured recycled paper, reflecting the complexities of the ongoing changes in these areas.

The exhibition opens on Sunday, September 15th, at 7:00 PM at Medrar

and runs until Thursday, October 3rd, 2024, from 4 – 9 pm except Fridays in Medrar.

Medrar announces its group exhibition, “Pattern Recognition”. The exhibition reflects on everyday social struggles, gathering a diverse group of artists whose works explore the concepts of chance, improvisation, and abstract symbolic systems. Focusing on the intricate and unseen patterns that shape our daily lives, the exhibition transforms the familiar into the unfamiliar, providing a deeper understanding of how our individual lives intersect with larger patterns that define our collective existence.

The exhibition opens on Sunday, June 30th at 7:00 PM at Medrar

and runs until Thursday, July 25th, 2024, from 4 – 9 pm except Fridays in Medrar.

Address: Medrar, 10 Gamal Eldin Abo ElMahsen, Garden City, Cairo.