Turkish artist Mert Ege Köse has unveiled a monumental aluminum sculpture titled "The Shen" at Art D'Égypte 2025, marking a historic moment as the first Turkish artist to participate in the internationally recognized Forever Is Now sculptural program. The large-scale installation is positioned directly in front of the iconic Giza Pyramids, creating a striking contemporary dialogue with one of the world's most ancient architectural wonders.
The sculpture, which spans approximately six meters in width and rises five meters high, reimagines the ancient Egyptian shen ring symbol through a modern lens. Traditionally associated with eternity, completeness, and divine protection, the shen ring has been reconstructed by Köse as a three-dimensional volume defined by mathematically calibrated curves. The work was fabricated at ASAŞ Sanat using specially developed aluminum alloys, resulting in highly reflective surfaces that capture and manipulate the surrounding desert light.
Conceptualized and curated by Ayça Okay in collaboration with AWC Contemporary, "The Shen" represents the culmination of a year-long research process that included extensive field studies conducted in both Egypt and Turkey. Köse describes his creation as "an intersection of the human, the material, and the cosmic," positioning the sculpture as an active point of dialogue that explores contemporary ideas of connection and equilibrium against the backdrop of ancient symbolism.
The installation's reflective surfaces create a dynamic visual experience that changes throughout the day as desert light shifts across the aluminum structure. Viewers encounter not only the sculpture itself but also the monumental landscape reflected and framed within its curved surfaces, creating what organizers describe as "a shifting field" that enhances the encounter with the pyramids behind.
Curator Ayça Okay, who also serves on the curatorial board for the 2025 edition of Forever Is Now, has positioned this project within a broader investigation of cross-regional cultural exchange. Her curatorial approach emphasizes research-based processes and experimentation, specifically working to connect contemporary artistic production in Turkey with historical and institutional contexts across Southwest Asia, North Africa (SWANA), and Europe.
The collaboration extends to AWC Contemporary, a Dubai-based platform that supports large-scale artistic initiatives across the Middle East, North Africa, and Saudi Arabia regions. For this edition, AWC Contemporary contributed not only to the production of Köse's sculpture but also to expanding the visibility of Turkish contemporary art across Mediterranean and Gulf cultural circuits, creating what organizers describe as "a triangular cultural bridge spanning Istanbul, Cairo, and Dubai."
"The Shen" will be on display at the Giza Plateau in Cairo, Egypt, as part of Forever Is Now 05 – Art D'Égypte from November 11th through December 11th, 2025. The installation represents a significant moment in contemporary art's engagement with ancient sites, demonstrating how modern artistic interventions can create new perspectives on historical spaces while respecting their cultural significance.
