Some exhibitions are named for what they show; this one is named for where things grow. On the evening of Wednesday, 11 November 2026 (7–9 pm), Gypsum Gallery in Cairo opens “Undergrowth”, the first solo exhibition of Egyptian artist Hana El-Sagini with the gallery. The Arabic title on the invitation, ma yanbut fi al-zill, translates as “what grows in the shade”. The show runs until 13 January.
Clay from Fustat, bronze from Abu Rawash
The new works are made of clay, bronze and lace – and they are thoroughly Cairene in their making. According to the gallery and CAI Edit, the ceramics were produced in workshops in Fustat, the historic potters’ quarter of Old Cairo, and the bronzes were cast at a foundry in the industrial district of Abu Rawash. That anchoring matters: it ties a contemporary practice to craft traditions and working-class neighbourhoods that rarely appear on gallery walls.
Frailty, grief, survival
Gypsum describes an exhibition about human fragility, mourning and endurance. Forms of life push up through brittle ground; figures hover between the recognisable and the abstract; changes of scale and distorted reflections are meant to unsettle the viewer’s footing. The work chosen for the invitation sums up the mood: a small bronze figure whose body dissolves into a long trail of cast lace – a heavy, permanent material imitating one of the most delicate textiles there is.
A sculptor’s lineage
El-Sagini works across painting, installation and sculpture, often on themes of memory and loss. She holds a master’s degree from the Academy of Art and Design FHNW in Basel and has exhibited in Cairo and the UAE, including the show Counting Fingers at 421 Arts Campus in Abu Dhabi. Earlier this year, Gypsum presented her bronzes in the Statements section of Art Basel – the fair’s platform for emerging solo presentations.
The name carries weight in Egypt: Hana is the granddaughter of Gamal El-Sagini, one of the country’s best-known 20th-century sculptors. Rather than echo that monumental tradition, her work seems to look downward – at roots, cracks and the quiet persistence of things that grow out of sight.
A home show for an international artist
Gypsum, founded by curator Aleya Hamza, is one of the Cairo galleries that most often brings young Egyptian artists to international fairs. “Undergrowth” is a chance for local audiences to see at home the kind of work usually shown abroad. Admission is free. The gallery has spaces in Garden City and Maadi; visitors are advised to check the gallery’s channels for the exact venue and opening hours before going.
Visit: Hana El-Sagini, “Undergrowth”, Gypsum Gallery, Cairo, 11 November 2026 – 13 January 2027.