“My Life”, is the latest exhibition of paintings created by gifted artist Mervat Refaat currently on display at Salama gallery in Mohandeseen. Born in 1933, Refaat insists that this exhibition sums up brilliantly her philosophy of life which started since her childhood when she learned to draw even before reading and writing. As a child, she had a very wide imagination that allowed her to draw the characters that she used to read about in the children story books. When she was still at the school, her teacher gave her aquarelle colours and brushes and she used to spend the summer vacation in painting and drawing anything that crosses her mind such as the beautiful ballerinas. In a very poetic and philosophical manner, she demonstrated a masterful use of pastels, reflecting her trademark interest in the Egyptian oasis landscape and Bedouin life. Since 2008, she explained that her works revolved around Sufism and spirituality. Refaat belongs to the first generation of modern Egyptian artists and she learned pastel painting at the hands of Egyptian icons such as Hussein Bikar and Ahmed Sabri. Born in Minya, she fell in love painting at the age of five and although she is a Faculty of Arts, English Department graduate, she devoted her life to art, studying at the Faculty of Fine Arts as well. Her first solo exhibition was held in 1961 in Colombo, Sri Lanka where she was impressed by the tropical nature there and the brightly coloured costumes of its people. The exhibition continuous through 10 April.
