THE KEY was a major East-West peacebuilding traveling art exhibition/installation that used the globally recognized ancient Egyptian symbol of the Ankh as the canvas for a contemporary message of hope for a harmonious, peaceful and tolerant world.
Showcasing the work of 40 premier and emerging Egyptian, Middle Eastern and Western contemporary visual artists, THE KEY focused on a modern three-dimensional fiberglass portrayal (1.20 meter in height) of the ancient 'Key of Life,' the Ankh, the Egyptian hieroglyphic character that read 'life', seen as the oldest known symbol of pluralism, tolerance and harmony. The exhibition addressed 'the key' to the East and West living in a peaceful and harmonious world. This artistic endeavor with the Ankh at its heart was a powerful means to unite people of different religious and cultural backgrounds.
THE KEY opened in Cairo, Egypt in March 2016, was then showcased in London, England and New York City, USA. Income from the sales of THE KEY went to an Egyptian charity providing creative learning opportunities for children among the poorest of the poor.
The 40 Egyptian, Middle Eastern and Western participating artists included women and men, and a diverse range, from renowned contemporary artists to emerging younger artists, employing different mediums, and coming from the different monotheistic faith backgrounds
ARTISTS
Paul G. Chandler is an author, art curator, speaker, interfaith peacemaker, cultural diplomat and an authority on the Middle East and Africa, and the Abrahamic spiritual traditions. He grew up in Senegal, West Africa, and has lived and worked extensively around the world in senior leadership roles within publishing, the arts, relief and development and the Anglican Communion. He is recognized as a global leader in using the arts to build bridges, toward fostering peace, harmony and wholeness in our world. He is also a sought-after guide on the all-embracing spirituality of the early 20th century poet-artist Kahlil Gibran, the author of The Prophet.
Paul G. Chandler
Reda Abdel Rahman
Dr Reda Abdel Rahman is an Egyptian artist who lives and works in New York. He has enjoyed a prolific international career in the arts. He is also known for his vision of promoting artists and the Egyptian art scene. Dr Abdel Rahman's works have been widely exhibited around the world and are held in numerous collections. He has also received important residencies, such as at Mana Contemporary.
CURATORS
AHMED ABDEL FATTAH
AHMED AL BAHRANI
AHMED EL SHAER
AHMED SABER
AMAL NASR
ANAT RATZABI
ARABELLA DORMAN
ATEF AHMED
ELISABETH BOLZA
ENAS ABDEL MONAEM
ESMAT DAWESTASHY
FAROUK WAHBA
FATMA ABDEL RAHMAN
GUIRGUIS BEKHIT
HAZEM EL MESTIKAWY
ISAAC DANIEL
LINA ALATTAR
MAHER GUIRGUIS
MAHFOUZ BESTOWROUS
MAHMOOD SHUBBAR
MARJORIE GUYON
MOATAZ EL SAFTY
MOHAMED BANAWY
MOHAMED NEGM
NOHA DEYAB
NOURA SLIM
OMAR TOUSSOUN
OSAMA MAMDOUH
PETER W. GRAY
RAHAM MAHMOUD
REDA ABDEL RAHMAN
SALAH EL MELIGY
SALAH EL MUR
SALAH HAMMAD
SALLY EL ZEINY
SERGIO GOMEZ
SERWAN BARAN
SHIRINE OSSEIRAN
SUZAN SHOUKRY
YASMINE EL KHATEIB
The 40 Egyptian, Middle Eastern, and Western participating artists included renowned contemporary artist to emerging younger artists, employing different mediums and coming from different faith traditions.
Exhibition Catalog
ART WORKSHOPS
Participating artist, Shirine Osseiran, held art workshops with the children during the exhibition, where they explored the themes of The Key exhibition as well as color, history and symbols.
