What’s Happening: Now in its third year, Art d’Egypte brings an array of site-specific works to the Pyramids of Giza to prove their lasting influence on centuries of creativity and frame them in a new light. Pulling it off is no small feat.

The Download: The Pyramids of Giza are tall, mighty, and mysterious, emblems of our technological prowess and limitless ambition during ancient times. Though they’ve been studied exhaustively and are the subject of countless bodies of work, French-Egyptian curator Nadine Abdel Ghaffar found herself fascinated by the prospect of the pyramids backdropping blue-chip sculpture to show how they’ve influenced today’s creative talents who can present them in a new light. That led her to found the Cairo-based arts firm Art d’Egypte in 2016 with the goal of mounting an outdoor exhibition of large-scale works around the pyramids. The first edition launched in 2021—convincing wary archaeologists wasn’t easy—and attracted more than one million visitors to the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This year’s edition, “Forever Is Now III,” is the largest yet, bringing 14 site-specific installations crafted around the theme of “play” that respond to the monuments with verve and whimsy. Argentine artist Pilar Zeta created Mirror Gate, an enigmatic limestone portal topped with a pyramidal apex beckoning viewers to walk down a checkered pathway to a giant egg perched on a plinth. It wouldn’t look out of place on a surrealist film set. Dutch material whiz Sabine Marcelis recast the sundial—an invention originating in ancient Egypt—through her own lens, yielding a glass rectilinear monolith embedded with solar cells that provide a light source after dark. Greek sculptor Costas Varotsos lined up a series of metal circles and filled them halfway with liquid, making the pyramids appear to float on water when viewed from afar.

Mounting a show of this scale in such a sensitive site is a herculean task, and requires coordination with the Secret Services, UNESCO, and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. Art D’Egypte works closely with UNESCO to make sure the show leaves the 4,500-year-old site untouched and unharmed—the pyramids are among the oldest World Heritage Sites. One-foot-tall layers of imported sand protect the environment from the wear and tear of installation and rowdy guests, a precaution that paves the way for further interactivity. “It’s a more engaging experience this year, no longer just a dialogue between the artists and the pyramids,” Abdel Ghaffar told Designboom. “It’s a trilogy between artist, viewer, and the site.”

In Their Own Words: “The Pyramids, for me, are a token of hope for humanity,” Abdel Ghaffar told Arab News, echoing words of wisdom that Egyptian archaeologist Dr. Zahi Hawass shared with her. “It’s a wonder that was not lost. It withstood pandemics, wars, different religions, and it’s still there. He was like, ‘Look at the Pyramids: This will give you hope. It’s still there. Humanity will not be erased. Don’t worry.’”

Surface Says: We’d love to see a similar program reframe the Moai on Easter Island.

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Since opening this past spring, Powerhouse Arts has emerged as a beacon of both imaginative reuse and the thriving art scene of Gowanus. Now it has its sights set on expanding the horizons and holdings of local collectors with an artist-led program of benefit prints. For each print sold, the artist retains 50 percent of proceeds with remaining funds invested back into the organization, which makes supplies, equipment, and makers’ spaces available to artists and designers. Powerhouse Arts has tapped New York photographer and performance artist Ivan Forde to kick off the program with a limited run of his surreal Fall of Man cyanotype. Stay tuned for editions by Alex Dodge, Julia Wachtel, and Michael Joo in the future.

As a prodigious fan of menswear, it means something when Sofia Coppola endorses womenswear. On the heels of its 120th anniversary, Barrie, the Scottish cashmere house and knitwear arm of Chanel, earned a high seal of approval from the filmmaker as a collaborator in her latest endeavor: a 17-piece collection inspired by the idea of one perfect wardrobe for work, travel, and leisure. Cashmere-silk tees put a sleek spin on the wardrobe staple, and cashmere-wool-silk puffer coats give the ski style a leisurely slant. Pink, a Coppola signature, appears throughout in beanies, color-blocked pullovers, and a delectable jumpsuit.

Since it was founded in 2011, The Other Art Fair has made a point to distinguish itself from the throngs of events catering solely to one-percenters and VIPs. Instead, founder Ryan Stanier channeled 20 years of experience gained from working on major cultural tentpoles like London Fashion Week and Art Basel Hong Kong into something different. For more than a decade now, The Other Art Fair has created a welcoming atmosphere for the other 99 percent to learn their tastes, connect with independent artists and makers, and embark upon their first acquisitions. Approachability and affordability are hallmarks of the fair, which has editions in seven cities including London, Sydney, Los Angeles, and returns to Brooklyn on November 9.

From their Paris atelier, Virginie Friedmann and Delphine Versace are creating some of Europe’s most elegant interiors, especially in the hospitality realm. The co-founders of Atelier Friedmann & Versace recently pulled back the curtain on La Pérouse, a serene boutique hotel overlooking Nice’s Promenade des Anglais, and MoSuke, the renowned Paris restaurant of Michelin-starred chef Mory Sacko. Inspired by the grace of Elsa Schiaparelli, the craft of Carlo Scarpa, the glamour of Gabriella Crespi, and the mystique of Guillermo Del Toro, the atelier sprinkles narrative intrigue throughout each of their projects to create places imbued with timelessness and character—elements that amplify the experience of the people inside.

Our weekly roundup of the internet’s most preposterous headlines, from the outrageous to the outright bizarre.

Climate Change Is Keeping Therapists Up at Night [The New York Times Magazine]

A Lunch Host Is Accused of Killing Her Ex-Husband’s Parents and Aunt With Poisonous Mushrooms [AP]

Forget Going for a Run—Sitting in a Hot Tub Can Bring the Same Health Benefits [New York Post]

Woman “Felt Something Move” in Her Ear at 5 AM—It Turned Out to Be a Spider the “Size of a Nickel” [People]

Goldie Hawn Says an ET Touched Her and It “Felt Like a Finger of God” [HuffPost]

Beer-Belly Wrestling and Mud Duel to Feature in First “Florida Man” Games [SkyNews]

This week, leaders of The Studio Museum in Harlem were joined by artists, cultural luminaries, civic leaders, philanthropists, and a host of prominent New Yorkers for the institution’s annual gala. Attended by more than 600 guests, the event was a moment of celebration for the Studio Museum’s past, present, and future as it gears up for the opening of its new home on 125th Street. The evening raised more than $3.2 million to uphold the museum’s mission to support artists of African descent.

When was it? Oct. 30

Where was it? The Glasshouse, New York

Who was there? Antwaun Sargent, Glenn Ligon, Derrick Adams, Dawoud Bey, Spike Lee, Tschabalala Self, Alex Da Corte, Charles Gaines, Rashid Johnson, Julie Mehretu, Amy Sherald, Awol Erizku, Sarah Sze, David Byrne, Hank Willis Thomas, Questlove, and more.

When: Nov. 3–5

Where: Surface’s showroom, Miami

What: As single malts go, Speyside Scotch whiskies are exceptional for their aroma of fruit, spice, and mild oakiness. Among those, The Glen Grant’s newly released 70-year-old Devotion single malt presides over a class all its own as a testament to the 182-year-old distiller’s deep-rooted mastery of craft and quality. Inspired by the seven-decade reign of Queen Elizabeth II, the distillery embarked on a collaboration between Master Distiller Dennis Malcolm, craftsman John Galvin, and Glasstorm master craftsman Brodie Nairn to create an ensemble worthy of the queen.

The result is The Glen Grant’s new seven-piece collection of objets d’art, each featuring a bespoke crystal decanter filled with the distiller’s 70-year Devotion. To celebrate the U.S. launch, Surface is showcasing one of the unreleased decanters at our Miami showroom for an exclusive viewing Nov. 3–5 from 11AM to 5PM.

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ALMA Communications is a boutique, Brooklyn-based PR agency operating at the intersection of contemporary art and social change. The all-female team at ALMA approaches communications with an emphasis on collaboration and humanism, treating each project with the utmost care. The company has grown into a four-woman team with diverse backgrounds in the arts and beyond, working with mission-driven artists, galleries, institutions, and organizations. ALMA was named Arts & Culture Agency of the Year by The PR Net.

Surface Says: With the firm’s art-world expertise, it’s no wonder high-profile galleries and institutions like Jack Shainman, ICA San Francisco, and Creative Capital choose ALMA.

This artist reimagined the original 151 Pokémon as Renaissance paintings.

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