The second edition of “Something Else: Off Biennale”, an international contemporary art exhibition, will take place at Darb 1718 and downtown starting November 1 and running for 8 weeks. Over a hundred local and international artists and curators will be presenting paintings, sculptures, photography, multimedia projects and films to explore this year’s theme which asks, “what if it did not happen?” to explore alternative paths to events which have already occurred. The exhibition is headed by well-renowned thought leader Simon Nijami as chief curator and celebrated Egyptian artist Moataz Nasr as creative director. Something Else / Off Biennale was originally created to complement the official Cairo Biennale in terms of themes, shows and activities. Biennale in Italian means “every other year”, an event that happens every two years. It is more commonly used in the art world to describe large-scale international contemporary art exhibitions. The term was popularized by the Venice Biennale, which was first held in 1895. The Something Else Off Biennale has a reputation for being less formal, more interactive and approachable among Cairo’s artistic community. Nijami’s role reflects his desire for the art community in Egypt to…
