Culture
Critic’s pick: Haris Epaminonda’s ‘Tarahi II’
August 24, 2012
Critic’s pick: Haris Epaminonda’s ‘Tarahi II’
At the end of October, Haris Epaminonda’s video “Tarahi II” screened during the Arab Shorts Festival at the Goethe Institute…
Farewell Amal Kenawy
August 23, 2012
Farewell Amal Kenawy
Few artworks in the contemporary Egyptian art scene leave viewers, regardless of their backgrounds and tastes, in awe. The diverse…
Remembering the king of laughter
August 23, 2012
Remembering the king of laughter
Whenever the name of Abdel Salam al-Naboulsy is mentioned anywhere around the Arab world, people — whether young or old…
Jazz it up: Musical society seeks to revive a forgotten musical genre
August 22, 2012
Jazz it up: Musical society seeks to revive a forgotten musical genre
Many people are not aware of Egypt’s internationally recognized Free Jazz Ensemble, which was active during most of the second…
Ramadan ads you won’t forget
August 21, 2012
Ramadan ads you won’t forget
Every Ramadan, the ad scene seems to get more and more intense. Like the US during the Super Bowl, ad…
What’s in an image: Real thugs and Ramadan thugs
August 20, 2012
What’s in an image: Real thugs and Ramadan thugs
“What do you mean by thug, exactly?” was the first question on Gamal Saber’s mind when I asked him what…
Om Kalthoum’s gift on Eid
August 19, 2012
Om Kalthoum’s gift on Eid
On the last night of Ramadan, my brother and I would anxiously wait for Eid, when we would get to…
What’s in an image: Women of the small screen
August 17, 2012
What’s in an image: Women of the small screen
A family’s strongman in an Upper Egyptian village sits confidently home as he receives congratulations for his marriage to…
The fifth Sufi Jazz Festival reconnects with African music
August 16, 2012
The fifth Sufi Jazz Festival reconnects with African music
With the beats of the karakeb (large metal castanets) and the clap of their hands, Moroccan artists Mahdi Nassouli and…
What’s in an image: Class drama in Ramadan
August 16, 2012
What’s in an image: Class drama in Ramadan
For decades, the highpoint of Ramadan’s drama had been a serial about an idealistic middle class character who strives to…