A retrospective exhibition of paintings by exceptionally gifted artist Abdel-Hadi Al-Gazzar (1925-1966) is currently on show at Ebdaa gallery in Zamalek. Al-Gazzar played a crucial role, together with his colleagues including important Egyptian artists such as Hamed Nada and Samir Rafie, in establishing the Contemporary Art group aimed at transferring the artists' approaches from the academic to the modern. He began his art production with painting his visions about primitive prehistoric using sea shells as the symbol of protection. He then moved to the middle stage where he focused on expressing folkloric life in Egyptian cities. Al-Gazzar started the most remarkable period in his art career from 1938 to 1946 expressing his artistic feelings about man and the universe that received high critical acclaim. Human evolution and how humans lived in the world through successive ages were his main themes. Born in Alexandria, Al-Gazzar was the son of a religious scholar. In 1940, his family moved to Cairo and settled in the district of Al-Sayeda Zeinab. As a young man, he experienced all the life and vibrancy of Old Cairo, rich in medieval Mamluk buildings and gracious Ottoman-era monuments. At the time, puppet shows were still performed in the streets and they were to have a profound impact on the artist's subsequent work. In 1950, Al-Gazzar graduated from the Cairo School of Fine Arts, where he later became assistant professor. His first solo exhibition was held at the Museum of Modern Egyptian Art, Cairo, in 1951. Al-Gazzar obtained scholarships to study art in Rome, Italy, in 1954 and 1957. He obtained a diploma from the School of Art and Restoration of Rome. From 1958 to 1965, he participated in many national and international exhibitions, winning several prizes. In 1965, shortly before his death, he participated for the second time in the Alexandria Biennial. The exhibition ends on15 January.
