From 20 October 2024 to 30 November 2024, the Embassy of Switzerland in Egypt in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute in Cairo, hosted a solo exhibition by the Swiss-Italian artist Sighanda, as part of the “Settimana della Lingua Italiana nel Mondo” (Italian Language Week in the World) and as part of the Embassy’s celebration of the 90th anniversary of the Friendship Treaty between Switzerland and Egypt. The opening of the exhibition took place at the Italian Cultural Institute. The exhibition will relocate to the Salesian Institute Don Bosco on 13 November.
The exhibition's title, The Return in the Day, refers to a translation of the ancient Egyptian funerary text ‘The Book of the Dead’, a collection of writings that, along with other papyrus fragments like the Merer Diary (at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo), are considered precursors to the modern carnet de voyage. The carnet de voyage tradition originated in the 18th century as a way to capture the culture and customs of a place through drawing. With the rise of photography in the 19th century, this practice gradually faded away.
The exhibition offers a unique perspective on Egypt, as seen through the eyes of Sighanda, inspired by her journeys between the Giza plateau, the necropolis of Saqqara, and visits to the two museums in Cairo and Turin. It showcases Sighanda’s drawings, notebooks, and plates, reflecting her philosophy of using the carnet de voyage – an ancient practice that she revitalizes through her art. Sighanda seeks to engage directly with Egyptian culture, both ancient and contemporary, by visiting the original sites of the pharaohs' tombs on several occasions.
In addition, Sighanda led a workshop introducing the carnet de voyage, one of the most authentic ways of self-expression through art. Participants brought home their own unique piece of art and self-reflection.
