Ebdaa gallery is holding a retrospective exhibition of paintings by gifted artist Abdel-Ghaffar Shedid. The late veteran artist Hussein Bikar once said this about the artist Abdel-Ghaffar Shedid: “All the critics who have analysed and evaluated the works of artist Abdel-Ghaffar Shedid -- who brought to us his artworks after a long delay in his emigration which he chose to return from as a creative artist and archaeologist -- agreed on the uniqueness of the artist with his distinctive style and in which he announced his identity without being separated from his time.” Bikar pointed out that symbolism in Shedid's works resembles the symbols found in the holy books. For instance, the sky as a symbol simply refers to the absolute eternity, and the temporary passage to the other life. As a result, the pyramid depicted in the middle of his paintings stands for the stairs that lead to the higher horizon and an artistic medium that moves the eye from bottom to top. Shedid studied art history, Egyptology, and Roman art at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, Germany. He received a Master's and doctorate degrees and painted for the Deutsche Theatre in Munich. He was also commissioned to build the World Art History Murals at Knauf Museum in the city of Iphofen, in Bavaria, and supervised the restoration projects of Gothic, Baroque and Rococo churches under the auspices of the Archaeological Commission in Munich. Shedid was a professor of Ancient Egyptian Art at Ludwig Maximilian University. He was appointed professor of painting at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Cairo, Helwan University, where he founded the Department of Art History. In addition, he has held several solo and group exhibitions in photography and graphic arts, inside and outside of Egypt. The exhibition ends 15 December.
