Ambassador of Italy to Egypt Michele Quaroni. Photo courtesy of Art D’Égypte
The announcement was made during a reception hosted by the Italian Embassy in Cairo in partnership with Art D’Égypte by CulturVator and the Italian Cultural Institute.
The exhibition will run from 30 October to 22 November 2025.
A nominee for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, Pistoletto is expected to unveil a monumental site-specific work that merges his lifelong exploration of art as a tool for societal transformation with the iconic setting of ancient Egypt.
The installation will extend his Third Paradise project—his globally recognised symbol of balance, unity, and regeneration—to the Giza Plateau.
Cultural diplomacy at the Pyramids
“It is a powerful testament to the enduring cultural ties between Italy and Egypt,” said Michele Quaroni, Italy’s ambassador to Egypt. “Through art, we continue to build bridges that transcend borders, language and time. This is a celebration of artistic innovation as well as cultural diplomacy.”
Pistoletto, now in his 90s, is widely regarded as one of the most influential living artists.
Best known for his iconic Mirror Paintings and for founding Cittadellarte, a multidisciplinary foundation dedicated to art-driven social change, his work has been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Tate Modern, and multiple editions of the Venice Biennale.
The artist’s upcoming appearance at the Pyramids marks a rare fusion of ancient heritage and avant-garde contemporary art—hallmarks of Forever Is Now, which in recent years has become the most high-profile art event in Egypt and a symbol of the country’s growing presence on the global art map.
An opportunity for Egyptian talent
Nadine Abdel-Ghaffar, Founder of Art D’Égypte.
In addition to participating in the exhibition, Pistoletto is launching a call for Egyptian artists to apply for a scholarship to study at the UNIDEE Academy—his foundation’s school for socially engaged art in Biella, northern Italy.
One artist will be selected for a fully funded three-year bachelor’s programme, with support in the first year from the Italian Cultural Institute in Cairo and full sponsorship from Cittadellarte thereafter.
“This is not just symbolic—it’s visionary,” said Nadine Abdel Ghaffar, founder of CulturVator. “Bringing Pistoletto to the Pyramids is a historic moment for Egypt and for global contemporary art.”
Bridging continents through creativity
Paolo Naldini, Director of Fondazione Pistoletto Cittadellarte. Photo courtesy of Reham El-Adawi.
Paolo Naldini, director of Fondazione Pistoletto Cittadellarte, highlighted the initiative’s role in fostering cultural dialogue.
“Cittadellarte sees art as a bridge between peoples and geographies,” he said. “We hope to connect Venice and Cairo—Europe and North Africa—through the same artwork, as a symbol of creation, balance, harmony, and peace.”
Founded in the late 1990s, Cittadellarte is an artistic and social experimentation laboratory.
At its core is the Third Paradise, a symbol that has inspired hundreds of installations and initiatives worldwide, including through its 250 affiliated Rebirth/Third Paradise Embassies.
With Pistoletto’s participation, Forever Is Now 2025 is poised to reinforce its status as one of the Middle East's most ambitious and globally significant cultural platforms
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