JR blows the top off Egypt’s Great Pyramid: first look at Cairo show of contemporary sculpture

In his latest optical illusion, the street artist JR has ripped open the top of one of the Great Pyramids of Giza in Cairo, Egypt. The work is part of a trail of large-scale sculptures and installations by ten contemporary artists. The exhibition Forever is Now (until 7 November), billed as the first event of its kind at the 4,500-year-old Unesco World Heritage Site, is organised by Art D’Egypte, a company that aims to promote Egyptian art with annual exhibitions at historic sites.

“The exhibition represents a merging of ancient heritage and contemporary art,” Art d’Egypte says in a statement. “We wanted to show the link between our history and our present that will last forever […] the deep global impact of ancient Egypt, and the continuity of this impact through contemporary arts.”

At a packed press conference at Giza today, the artist Lorenzo Quinn spoke emotionally about his commission at the ancient site. “I have no words to express my true feelings right now,” he said. “The reason I chose to create this work for this site is to honour the fact that society always works better and can surpass any obstacle when it works together. It is a historical event. It is a true honour.”

Here are all the works on show.