Sunday, June 15 – The Launch of the 45th General Exhibition
With confident steps towards documenting the evolution of Egyptian art, the 45th edition of the General Exhibition opens on the evening of Sunday, June 15, 2025, at 7:00 PM at the Palace of Arts and Bab Hall in the Cairo Opera House grounds.
The exhibition is held under the patronage of Prof. Dr. Ahmed Fouad Hennou, Minister of Culture, presided over by Prof. Dr. Walid Qannoush, Head of the Fine Arts Sector, and curated by artist Prof. Dr. Iman Osama, General Commissioner of the exhibition.
This year’s edition showcases 421 artworks by 327 Egyptian artists, covering a wide range of disciplines including: painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, computer graphics, installation, performance art, interactive art, and video art. These works reflect the most prominent trends and styles developed by artists over the past two seasons, giving this edition a documentary character that captures the current state of Egyptian visual art.
The 45th edition also honors a group of artists who have significantly contributed to the visual art scene, along with a tribute in memory of late artists who had a strong presence in the contemporary Egyptian art landscape.
This year’s exhibition highlights the breadth and diversity of the Egyptian art experience, offering the general public access to a body of work that blends experimentation with rooted traditions, expressing the current cultural moment from multiple perspectives.
📍 Palace of Arts – Cairo Opera House
📍 Bab Hall – Cairo Opera House
🗓 Opening: Sunday, June 15, 2025 – 7:00 PM
📆 Exhibition runs until July 15, 2025
⏰ Daily from 9 AM to 9 PM (except Fridays)
During the opening, Minister Ahmed Fouad Hennou expressed his pride in this major artistic event, emphasizing that the General Exhibition is one of the most prominent cultural traditions that reflect the vibrant and diverse nature of Egypt’s visual art scene. He highlighted the artist’s ability to transform a sense of wonder into a contemporary vision.
The Minister also announced that, starting from the next edition (the 46th), the name of the exhibition will be changed to “Exhibition of Egypt”, to better reflect the national identity and enhance its standing both locally and internationally.
Dr. Hennou reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to supporting such initiatives, which help preserve the dynamism of the creative scene and promote dialogue across generations of artists. He praised the quality of the participating works, which reflect the depth of the Egyptian artistic experience, and commended the participation of Egyptian artists living abroad, describing it as a valuable addition to the local art landscape.
He further noted that honoring prominent artists in this edition is a gesture of the state’s recognition and appreciation for their artistic and human contributions.
In this context, the Minister of Culture honored a number of distinguished artistic figures, recognizing eight pioneering artists from the 1930s generation for their profound and enduring contributions to the Egyptian visual art movement.
The honorees included: Ahmed Morsi, George Bahgoury, Zeinab El Segini, Hassan Abdel Fattah, Mohy El-Din Hussein, Abdel Ghafar Shadeed, Aly Nabil Wahba, and Rabab Nimer.
This tribute reflects the nation’s deep appreciation for their influential and lasting impact on the course of Egyptian art.
