Darja Shatalova

As part of FREE AWAY.

At first, three months in Egypt seemed incredibly long to me. My flight to Cairo at the end of December was cancelled by the airline and I ended up landing in Hurghada for roughly the same price. I stood in the strong wind, looking out over the sea and at a few veiled women sitting on the beach and I couldn’t quite define what it all meant – for me, for my artistic path, for my life – that I was here now and what the next three months would bring.

In January, I travelled south along the Nile and visited countless archaeological sites and temples. With each new place, I began to recognise connections in the imagery, the architecture and the varying levels of preservation and restoration. At first, everything felt incredibly exhausting – I was travelling alone and was constantly and often persistently, approached to purchase something, tip someone, or make use of some tourist service. It was a strange feeling to be in constant contact with people, always in the spotlight, yet never able to really speak about what I was experiencing. I also had to get used to the blaring, chaotic traffic, the rubbish on the streets and the five daily calls to prayer – especially frequent and loud on Fridays.

I spent February and March in Cairo, which brought a welcome balance. Cairo is, by nature, more multicultural and, of course, a metropolis – a place where it can sometimes be a relief to “disappear into the crowd”. It was also lovely to settle down in one place and find some calm and despite the incredible diversity, to develop a small sense of routine – certain streets I walked again and again, shops I returned to and people who began to recognise and greet me.

Through my connection with the Austrian Cultural Forum, I was quickly integrated into a wonderfully warm group in Cairo and finally found the exchange I had missed so much in my first month. The ARD Residency team was also always available to support me and helped resolve any issues. They even put together a comprehensive programme of Cairo’s cultural highlights, which was very helpful in gaining an overview of everything worth seeing.

Especially in February, I tried to see as much as possible and attend a variety of events. The range on offer was overwhelming and there was never enough time to do it all.

In March, Ramadan began and I was surprised by how much it changed everything. It had a very collective character – all daily routines, even advertising, revolved around it. By 4 p.m., everything was suddenly closed and from 8 p.m. onwards, the city came back to life, often until the early hours – although Cairo is generally a city that never sleeps. During this month, I mainly worked in the studio on my new project and only went out on trips to get specific materials. I truly began to feel that this place was my residence – even my home – and when I was sometimes approached on the street, I would say that I lived here.

I believe Egypt in general and Cairo in particular, are places where it takes time to arrive and to fit in. It’s a process that doesn’t happen like the flick of a switch, but rather as a gradual transition. One day, you find yourself adapting to the rhythm and social interactions of the people and you begin to feel the beauty, uniqueness and warmth that surround you.

Website resident:              darjashatalova.com