Qaaf Art Space, a welcoming and spacious hub located on a quiet side-street a few minutes away from Hadayeq El-Maadi metro station, is the most recent addition to an ongoing project initiated by a young creative group of Cairene freelancers, artists and independent music lovers. “You know where our name Qaaf came from?” Omar, the venture’s manager, asks us. “It originates from the song “Qaaf Ya3ni Qawem” (Q means Resisting) by Egyptian singer Aly Talebab, a line that can also be found stitched onto their t-shirt labels, a colorful and original collection of which are on display and for sale in the Qaaf Gallery entrance area that now extends on into Qaaf Art Space at the back. Why they selected this particular phrase has mainly to do with how they envision their brand and, by extension, their identity as individuals and as a small community. “Have your own passion; resist the pressure to be like everyone else,” are the guiding principles of the team and their creative vision, Omar further explains to Egyptian Streets. This meanwhile multi-functional concept started out as a fairly low-key affair back in 2014, when the…
