(Photos: Moustafa Abdel Aty )
Through porcelain works, she explores memory, migration, and cultural heritage in a contemporary light.
The exhibition explores the role of reminiscence in shaping cultural identity – the often unconscious process by which significant memories are integrated into the present.
The artist considers reminiscence as central to artistic expression, enabling the adaptation of elements from memory into a contemporary context.
The exhibition also delves deeply into the context of migration, where reminiscence serves as a vital link that not only preserves but also evolves cultural identities.
It draws a broader connection between cultural heritages and lived experiences, aiming to reproduce and pay tribute to the landscapes, scenes, textures, and symbols that marked the artist’s childhood in Egypt and have unconsciously influenced her artistic practice and aesthetic choices.
These works serve as a transcription of old and recent visual memories, reflecting the cultural diversity shaped through migration.
Basma Osama
Basma Osama is a ceramic artist who bridges her Egyptian roots with her life in Canada.
Currently based in Montreal, Osama founded Ceramik B., a studio that specialises in crafting porcelain objects, combining both beauty and function.
Since graduating from the Institut des métiers d'art du Cégep du Vieux-Montréal in 2003, the artist has developed a unique style that emphasizes natural forms, textures, and the sensory feel of everyday items. Her work often highlights the delicate balance between shape and material, as seen in collections such as her Amulette and Manuscript series.
Alongside her ceramics, Basma has a background in graphic design. She has worked as a senior graphic designer in Egypt, where she applied her creativity to various indoor and outdoor visual projects, reflecting a rich cultural blend that combines influences from both Egypt and Canada.
The exhibition will continue until 26 October, as part of the 13th edition of the Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival (D-CAF, 1–26 October), a multidisciplinary festival held annually in Cairo.
D-CAF showcases a diverse range of contemporary arts, including visual art, dance, theatre, music, and film, providing a platform for both emerging and established artists from Egypt and around the world.
The exhibition is open to the public on weekdays from 6 pm to 10 pm and on weekends from 2 pm to 10 pm at Beit Toulon in Sayyeda Zeinab, Cairo.
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