Egyptian cultural organizers cancelled the participation of French conceptual sculptor Bernar Venet in the upcoming Forever Is Now exhibition at the Giza Pyramids following widespread protests over his past ties to Israeli cultural institutions, triggering withdrawals across parallel arts events in Cairo.
Art D’Égypte scheduled the sixth edition of the contemporary art exhibition Forever Is Now to run from November 4 to November 28, 2026, against the backdrop of the Giza Pyramids. Organizers at Art D’Égypte initially faced mounting friction after local artists and cultural figures circulated a petition pointing to Venet’s documented ties to Israeli arts entities, including a 2022 award and commercial gallery representation in Tel Aviv.
Art D’Égypte Reverses Course After Petition and Withdrawals
Art D’Égypte announced it was halting the French sculptor’s participation in the exhibition after an initial hesitant statement issued on Thursday. Nearly 600 prominent cultural figures signed a boycott statement demanding the artist’s exclusion, while several participating Egyptian artists pulled out of parallel events organized by the foundation.
The original boycott statement was issued under the title A public statement by representatives of the artistic and cultural scene in Egypt against the reception of the French artist Bernar Venet on Egyptian soil.
The foundation reaffirms its steadfast support for the Egyptian position on the issue, and its commitment to human values and principles. Institutions do not maintain their credibility solely by recognizing mistakes, but by their ability to correct them and fulfill the principles upon which they were founded.
Art D’Égypte, via Al-Sharq Al-Awsat
Petition Points to Bernar Venet Ties
Prominent among the connections pointed to by the boycott petition was Venet receiving the 2022 Artist of the Year award from the American Friends of Israel Museums, alongside sales arrangements supporting partner museums in Israel and representation through the Har-El Gallery in Jaffa and Tel Aviv.
France awarded him the Legion of Honour in 2005, and he received the Julio González International Award and a lifetime achievement award from the International Sculpture Center in 2016.
Plastic Artists Syndicate Demands Transparency for Cairo Exhibitions
The Egyptian Syndicate of Plastic Artists demanded transparency regarding selection criteria for foreign participants in national archaeological zones. The syndicate asserted that historical heritage sites cannot serve as a protective cover for curatorial choices that ignore national cultural responsibilities.
Multiple parallel initiatives tied to the upcoming exhibition season in Cairo were directly affected by the unfolding situation, including the Cairo International Art District, the Dialogue-Formed exhibition at the Egyptian Museum, and Crafts Re-Visions housed in historic Cairo’s Bayt al-Suhaymi.
