Ancient Egyptian history bro alive in immersive digital show
'Egyptian Pharaohs, From Cheops to Ramesses II' at the Walkerhill Hotel & Resort takes viewers on a journey to rediscover ancient Egypt.
The immersive exhibition 'Egyptian Pharaohs, From Cheops to Ramesses II' travels back in time to the era of the Pharaohs to shed light on ancient Egyptian civilization, which spanned more than 3,000 years.
The 36-minute digital immersive installation at Walkerhill Hotel & Resort's Theatre des Lumieres, which kicks off Thursday, encompasses 10 themes related to ancient Egyptian history, art and myths.
The narrative is first led by Scottish watercolorist David Roberts (1796-1864) who set out on a journey to Egypt where he encountered and was fascinated by ancient Egyptian ruins. The artist later recorded his impression of the civilization in his diary: 'We are a people of dwarfs visiting a nation of giants.'
As visitors begin to "journey" through the space with him, grains of sand are swept up by the wind to reveal what remains of ancient Egypt. The exhibition invites visitors into Nun, the primordial sea that existed before creation. From these dark and chaotic waters rises a pyramid-shaped mound called the Benben, upon which the creator god Atum appears.
Ancient Egyptians believed the world began with Atum, and from him came Shu and Tefnut, who bore Geb (sky) and Nut (earth).
The exhibition continues to the banks of the Nile, which ancient Egyptians considered a gift from the gods. The river unites different regions as well as Lower and Upper Egypt, and is a source of water that people depended on.
Next, viewers become immersed in the pyramids, built over 4,000 years ago above all the tombs of kings. Among them is the Great Pyramid of Khufu, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, whose complex construction process continues to baffle many historians today.
The highlight of the show is the pharaohs who ruled ancient Egypt for three centuries. The Narmer, the founding pharaoh of the very first dynasty, illustrates the story of the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt.
The exhibition runs through Oct. 31
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
4 days ago
- Korea Herald
Trump's travel ban on 12 countries goes into effect early Monday
WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump's order banning citizens of 12 countries from entering the United States goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. EST on Monday, a move the president promulgated to protect the country from "foreign terrorists." The countries affected by the latest travel ban are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The entry of people from seven other countries -- Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela - will be partially restricted. Trump, a Republican, said the countries subject to the most severe restrictions were determined to harbor a "large-scale presence of terrorists," fail to cooperate on visa security, have an inability to verify travelers' identities, as well as inadequate record-keeping of criminal histories and high rates of visa overstays in the United States. He cited last Sunday's incident in Boulder, Colorado, in which an Egyptian national tossed a gasoline bomb into a crowd of pro-Israel demonstrators as an example of why the new curbs are needed. But Egypt is not part of the travel ban. The travel ban forms part of Trump's policy to restrict immigration into the United States and is reminiscent of a similar move in his first term when he barred travelers from seven Muslim-majority nations. Officials and residents in countries whose citizens will soon be banned expressed dismay and disbelief. Chad President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno said he had instructed his government to stop granting visas to US citizens in response to Trump's action. "Chad has neither planes to offer nor billions of dollars to give, but Chad has its dignity and its pride," he said in a Facebook post, referring to countries such as Qatar, which gifted the US a luxury airplane for Trump's use and promised to invest billions of dollars in the US. Afghans who worked for the US or US-funded projects and were hoping to resettle in the US expressed fear that the travel ban would force them to return to their country, where they could face reprisal from the Taliban. Democratic US lawmakers also voiced concern about the policies. "Trump's travel ban on citizens from over 12 countries is draconian and unconstitutional," said US Representative Ro Khanna on social media late on Thursday. "People have a right to seek asylum." (Reuters)
Korea Herald
03-06-2025
- Korea Herald
Wael Shawky, Akram Zaatari tell political history through art
Historical incidents in Middle East, North Africa recreated as media art shown at MMCA Gwacheon History can be hard to recount when it holds sorrow and trauma or multiple interpretations. But recreated as art, such stories can resonate powerfully, sparking diverse questions and interpretations in the viewers, regardless of where they are or what language they speak. Presented by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, 'MMCA Collection Otherlands II: Wael Shawky, Akram Zaatari' showcases two media works by two leading contemporary artists who explore and reinterpret specific historical events at its Gwacheon museum in Gyeonggi Province. 'Drama 1882' by Egyptian artist Wael Shawky was previously shown at the Venice Biennale 2024. The 48-minute video work addresses the Urabi Revolution, a 19th-century nationalist resistance movement against European control over Egypt following the construction of the Suez Canal. Shawky wrote, composed and directed the media artwork in the form of an eight-part opera, raising questions such as 'Was the history of the Urabi Revolution, as written primarily from Western perspectives, truly objective?' Akram Zaatari's 36-minute video work, 'Letter to a Refusing Pilot,' is based on the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon. The Lebanese artist was inspired by a rumor in his hometown of Saida, which turned out to be true according to the artist, that an Israeli pilot had refused an order to bomb a boy's secondary school where Zaatari's father was a principal at the time. The question 'Why did the Israeli pilot refuse the order?' has remained a central theme in Zaatari's artistic career. In 2012, he published a book about the incident that contains an interview with the pilot. Drawing inspiration from historical theater, the installation of the works incorporates elements such as stage curtains, lighting and theater seating to evoke the feeling of attending a live opera or film screening. The state museum acquired 'Drama 1882' last year through a donation by the MMCA Director's Council, a group of CEOs established in 2011 to support the museum's exhibitions and growth in collection, according to the museum. 'MMCA Collection Otherlands II: Wael Shawky, Akram Zaatari' runs through Aug. 17.
Korea Herald
16-05-2025
- Korea Herald
iQIYI expands MENA presence with MENA Branch launch and local partnership, elevating Chinese storytelling worldwide
BEIJING, May 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- iQIYI, China's leading online entertainment platform, has taken two major steps recently to deepen its presence in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, signaling continued ambition in the overseas market. On May 11, the company signed a content partnership with Egypt's leading Arabic streaming platform WATCH IT. Three days after, it officially launched iQIYI MENA Branch in Dubai, marking a stronger operational foothold in the region. Grounded in extensive market research, these moves are part of iQIYI's broader localization strategy, aimed at amplifying Chinese storytelling abroad while integrating more regional content into its global ecosystem. The company has identified MENA as a market with a long history and huge potential, driven by a rising demand for digital entertainment. Under the new partnership, WATCH IT will stream a curated slate of iQIYI's premium Chinese-language films and shows — including top-rated series such as "Road Home" and "Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty" — through its established regional network. In return, iQIYI's main platform will feature WATCH IT's original humanities documentary series "Mother of the World," which draws upon archaeological evidence to showcase the development of ancient Egyptian civilization. iQIYI International will also introduce WATCH IT's select Arabic-language original content, enriching its overseas content ecosystem. "WATCH IT is deeply rooted in the Egyptian and Middle Eastern markets, with robust production and distribution capabilities," said Zhaonan WANG, vice president and editor-in-chief of iQIYI. "Through this collaboration, we hope to better serve MENA audiences and use film and television as a bridge for cultural exchange." With the new branch launched in Dubai, iQIYI continues to better serve local customers. With a content strategy tailored to local tastes, iQIYI has curated a dedicated MENA content library featuring Chinese-language dramas, movies, animation, and variety shows adapted to local customs. The platform endeavors to continue optimizing the playback experience for MENA's network environment and is in discussion with local telecom operators to extend viewing options. In addition to the WATCH IT partnership, iQIYI has also collaborated with evision, the media and entertainment arm of e&, since June 2014 to distribute over 20 popular Chinese dramas, animations, and movies to MENA viewers via evision's free streaming service STARZ ON. Speaking in Dubai, Xianghua YANG, president of iQIYI's Movie & Overseas Business Group, noted the key support of ongoing collaborations with local partners in advancing the company's continued development in MENA. With the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia as its core, iQIYI aims to gradually cover the Gulf region. The launch of iQIYI MENA Branch in Dubai further strengthens the platform's global footprint, following the debut of its international website, and iQIYI International App in 2019, as well as the opening of its international headquarters in Singapore in 2020. Since then, the company has established four key operational regions — Southeast Asia, North America, Japan and South Korea, and MENA — as it strives to become the home for beloved Asian content for audiences worldwide. Today, iQIYI's content reaches audiences in over 190 countries and regions. iQIYI International currently supports user interface and subtitles in 12 languages, including English, Thai, Indonesian, Korean, Spanish, and Arabic.
