Each year, millions travel to Giza to stand before the ancient pyramids — three colossal silhouettes that have outlived empires and rewritten the very concept of time. But this season, visitors are greeted by more than stone and sand. They enter a dialogue between past and present, as Forever Is Now returns for its fifth edition, bringing contemporary art installations to one of the world’s oldest cultural landscapes.
Organised by Art D’Egypte in collaboration with Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the exhibition invites international artists to create works that respond to the desert, the light, and the heritage of ancient Egypt. The installations, stretching across the southern plateau, echo the grandeur of the pyramids while offering a fresh lens through which to view the site.
The exhibition opens with Doors of Cairo, Portuguese artist Vhils’ sprawling maze crafted from 65 reclaimed doors collected across Cairo’s oldest neighbourhoods. Some come from workshops, others from homes in the city’s dense recycling district — each door carrying its own memory of urban life. Reassembled on metal scaffolding, they stand as a portal between the everyday and the eternal.
Nearby, the desert sun bounces off the radiant surfaces of Echoes of the Infinite by Alex Proba. Three carved sculptures made of vibrant polished stone align like a modern triptych with the pyramids behind them. From certain angles, the artwork seems to fuse with the ancient geometry surrounding it — a moment where colour, rhythm, and landscape briefly meet.
Paris-based Recycle Group offers a philosophical pause with Null, a monumental zero that frames the pyramids through its central void. Wrapped in sculptural figures reminiscent of Greco-Roman influences, the piece invites viewers to consider the cycle of beginnings, endings, and the timeless spirits that define Egypt’s layered identity.
One of the exhibition’s most evocative contributions is Desert Flowers by Lebanese artist Nadim Karam. His trio of rising lotus forms — bud, sprout, and bloom — pays homage to one of ancient Egypt’s most sacred symbols. Crafted from salvaged steel and reclaimed metal, the sculptures transform discarded fragments into icons of renewal. Against the golden sand, they appear both fragile and powerful, embodying resilience and rebirth.
Italian artist Anna Ferrari brings sound, light, and air into harmony with her installation Wind — a spiralling arrangement of 21 towering metal flutes. The breeze animates the sculpture, producing soft, distinct tones that shift with each gust. As the desert sun reflects off mirrors held by performers, flickers of light dance through the tubes, creating a living performance shaped by nature itself.
Representing Egypt this year is Salha Al Masry with Ma’at, a monumental reinterpretation of the ancient royal signet ring. Visitors can step inside the circular structure, whose outer surface is engraved with text from the Book of the Dead. Within, an image of the goddess Ma’at — guardian of truth and justice — reminds viewers of the timeless moral foundations that guided pharaonic civilisation. The sculpture becomes a public space inviting reflection on fairness, leadership, and human integrity.
As visitors weave through the exhibition, new shuttle buses ferry crowds from the recently completed Great Gate — part of the extensive renovation of the Giza Plateau launched to enhance the visitor experience. With improved access, open views, and modern infrastructure, the site now offers a balance between heritage conservation and contemporary cultural expression.
Forever Is Now transforms the desert into a conversation.
The pyramids remain eternal, but each installation whispers stories of change, reuse, creativity, and the endless human desire to speak to time itself.
The exhibition runs until December 6, and entry is included with standard admission to the Pyramids Complex.
