Media Release: 318 words, 15 August 2013.
Egyptian Appliqué in Wagga Wagga
‘Khayamiya’ is Egyptian Tentmaker Appliqué, a rare and spectacular Islamic art form that is
rarely seen beyond Egypt. “Khayamiya: Khedival to Contemporary”, curated by Dr Sam Bowker, is
the world’s first exhibition to reveal the story of the Egyptian Tentmakers from the Late
Ottoman Empire to present-day Cairo.
This free exhibition will be shown in Wagga Wagga from August 26 to September 12, 2013, in
the HR Gallop Gallery (in Building 21 off Carpark 2), Charles Sturt University Campus, Wagga
Wagga, NSW.
For hundreds of years, Egyptian Tentmakers designed and made hand-sewn appliqué screens called
‘Khayamiya’. These intricate artworks adorned the spectacular tents of the Ottoman Empire and the
Egyptian Khedives. In Cairo today, magnificent screens still form colourful backdrops for street
parties, weddings, Ramadan celebrations, political rallies, funerals and religious events. Sadly, these
screens are now made of cheap printed fabrics that imitate real Khayamiya appliqué. The historic
hand-made art of the Tentmakers now faces extinction.
The exhibition “Khayamiya: Khedival to Contemporary” is part of an international project to
recognize the work of the Egyptian Tentmakers as skilled craftsmen and artists. Dr Sam Bowker, an
Art Historian at Charles Sturt University, is one of several Australians supporting this collaborative
project. His research seeks to discover and reveal the art history of Khayamiya.
Visitors will see how the Tentmakers found new audiences as Egyptian society changed. Dramatic
suspended tent panels, some covering entire walls, contrast with charming Egyptian souvenirs from
the 1930s. A series of short films further explain the context of Khayamiya, including a preview of the
Australian documentary by Kim Beamish, “The Tentmakers of Chareh el-Khiamiah”, to be launched in
2014.
Sam Bowker will host a public conversation in the HR Gallop Gallery at 1pm on Tuesday August 27,
followed by a lecturing tour of the UK. His book, “Khayamiya: The Art of the Egyptian Tentmakers”,
will be published in 2014.
Contact details and more information on the next page.
Contact Details for “Khayamiya: Khedival to Contemporary” in Wagga Wagga
Dr Sam Bowker is a Lecturer in Art History and Visual Culture at Charles Sturt University, and curator
of “Khayamiya: Khedival to Contemporary”.
Mobile: 0414 659 631
Email: sbowker@csu.edu.au
Twitter: @drsambowker
Website: www.sambowker.com
For more information on Khayamiya and the Tentmakers of Cairo, consult
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khayamiya) and (http://www.jennybowker.com/tentmakers)
For more information about the successfully crowd-funded documentary “The Tentmakers of Chareh
El Khiamiah” by the Australian filmmaker Kim Beamish, to be released in 2014, please consult:
http://www.chareh-elkhiamiah.com/
NB: Dr Sam Bowker will be travelling in the UK from September 3-19, 2013.