#immortalriver

[hannahmatthewswestminster]

laura el-tantawy, an immortal river

an ode to egypt’s lifeline, the River Nile

a beautifully soft yet impactful project on the delicacy of the river and the life it sustains, the life it allows to thrive. this paired with the music of mohamed abdel wahab - the egyptian composer and singer - creates an emotional reaction to its journey

an interesting juxtaposition to play around with in this project, as we are 70% water... which leads on to the question of the impact of the moon upon us

[lauraeltantawy]

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A post shared by Laura El-Tantawy لورا الطنطاوى (@laura_el_tantawy)

An Immortal River | النهر الخالد, one of the most iconic songs by the legendary Egyptian composer and singer Mohamed Abdel Wahab. The song, produced in 1954, speaks to the very soul of Egyptian identity and the legacy of our ancient ancestors. It is an ode to Egypt’s lifeline — the River Nile. The song was released during a crucial moment in history where Egyptian identity was seeing an awakening. In 1952 a revolution by the Free Officers Movement overthrew then Turkish Monarch King Farouk who reigned Egypt for nearly 16 years. In 1956, the country’s second president, Gamal Abdel Nasser, nationalised the Suez Canal, a moment of nationalistic fervour that marked the end of British and French colonial rule. Today the song resounds a mournful sigh as the future of Egypt’s water supply from the River Nile — once thought eternal ... immortal — is under threat due to the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. This series is a meditation on the River Nile. it’s inspired by this iconic song, borrowing its title from Abdel Wahab’s masterful composition. For many days I visited the banks of the River Nile in Cairo. I took photographs from the river’s bank and hung over the side of feloukas, Cairo’s infamous Nile sail boats. This song played in my head repeatedly. An extended version of this video is available on my website along with additional photographs from the series. #mohamedabdelwahab #immortalriver #النهرالخالد #محمد عبد الوهاب #IllDieForYou #farmers #egypt 💦 💓 (at Nile River) https://www.instagram.com/p/CCy48oTJY62/?igshid=156ewrujzwr0j