Having lived most of her life in the Gulf region, with only a couple of short yearly visits to Cairo, artist Nora Zeid’s relationship with the Cairene streets was nearly non-existent until a couple of years ago. With the high contrast between the neatness of the Gulf’s cityscape and the chaotic clutteredness and rich layering of Cairo’s streets, buildings, and facades, Nora attempts to slow down and reflect amidst the business of the city.

The work on display channels the artist’s desire to re-establish her relationship with Cairo through close observations. Walking the busy streets of Cairo saturates the senses. Every inch of the city’s ever-changing landscape demands one’s constant and undivided attention. In hopes of understanding the city better, Nora Zeid brings it to a momentary standstill through illustration.

This exhibition is a compilation of pieces created as part of the Cairo Illustrated series. Each illustration captures a moment in space, expanding it visually as if frozen in time. The use of black and white simplifies and reduces, while the details maintain the moment’s intricacies. As buildings, objects and people fade into the distance, they become more and more abstracted, blending into the rich and complex textures of the cityscape.