At last, Mohsen Shaalan, deputy minister of culture for fine arts, is a free man. Following the theft of Van Gogh's “Poppy Flowers” — which was on show at the Mahmoud Khalil Museum and worth $55 million — Shaalan was charged with negligence and professional delinquency. A year behind bars can kill a man's creativity, but not Shaalan's. His contribution to art is priceless. On behalf of many artists I call on Shaalan to return to the art scene. The sun should never set on superb talents like his.
