At Egyptian cafe, customers get their coffee with a dash of art
The cafe which opened in 2017 features 70 statues and 90 taxidermied animals.
ALEXANDRIA (Reuters) - After finding a creative outlet in art, an Egyptian sculptor and business owner opened a cafe that also serves as a home to his art, offering customers a cultural experience along with their beverages.
The sign outside the cafe reads the "Tamr Henna Museum" and inside the coffee house is riddled with statues and figures for visitors to explore.
The main goal was to use the cafe to spread "cultural awareness… and empathy toward others", said owner Nasser al-Sherbini.
The sculptures bear subtle political messages and philosophical meanings which Sherbini often discusses with customers.
A recurring theme in his work is terrorism and Sherbini has embodied it through a character ironically named Adel, the Arabic word for justice.
The statue of Adel shows him imprisoned by his own thoughts and hatred towards people who are different, the sculptor said.
The statue’s hands are covered with the blood of innocent people, Sherbini added.
The installation is completed with a bloodied head meant to represent Adel’s victims and a message that reads "terrorism has no religion."
While some of the work on display may not be for the faint-hearted, visitor, Samar said she was impressed by the cafe.
In particular, she admired the diversity of the items on display, which range from tributes to famous people and cultural symbols to live animals.
The cafe which opened in 2017 features 70 statues and 90 taxidermied animals.
