“My grandmother’s living room in Heliopolis is one of my favorite places in the world,” says 24-year-old Nora Zeid, with a big smile on her face. In her efforts to reconnect with her hometown, specifically Heliopolis where her parents grew up, illustrator, designer and visual artist, Nora Zeid created black and white illustrations of Heliopolis, tying memories and personal experiences to space and addressing the idea of honoring heritage in line with the current infrastructural changes. Cairo Illustrated: Stories from Heliopolis is Nora’s first solo exhibit under Tashkeel’s Critical Practice Program for 2020, under the mentorship of Hala Al Aini, lecturer at the American University of Sharjah and Co-Founder of Möbius Design Studio, and Ghalia Elsrakbi, prominent design professional and researcher. Egyptian Streets sat down with the young Egyptian artist, where she took us with her on her journey towards reestablishing her relationship with her hometown. “I grew attached to Cairo in 2017 when I stayed at my grandmother Salwa’s house. The living room was one of my favorite places because I didn’t like going to Cairo very much growing up; it was very different from where I was growing…
Egyptian Artist Nora Zeid in First Solo Exhibition: How Do We Value Our Heritage?
October 21, 2021
