Currently on display behind the famous wooden arches of the Safar Khan gallery in Zamalek is “The Collection," an exhibition which assembles together various contemporary artists who had previously exhibited at Safar Khan. Nadine Hamman, Katherine Bakhoum, Mostafa el-Razzaz, Soad Mardam Bey, Sarkis Tossoonian, Marwa Adel, Kamal el-Sarrag, and Kamal Khalifa showcase their paintings in this collective exhibition, reflecting a dynamic contemporary Egyptian art scene. That the group is half female stands in contrast to the perception that modern male artists dominate the Egyptian art scene. Kamal el-Sarrag's oil paintings are suffused with an exclusive form of calligraphy; one that is limited to the Arabic letter "S." Since the mid 1960s, el-Sarrag's artwork has proliferated globally, introducing his shape-shifting "S" to Italy, Austria, the US, Japan, Iraq, West Germany, Syria, Jordan, Belgium, and Denmark. The letter that begins his name has, over the years, provided opportunity for beauty and harmony to permeate his work. Using a variety of different geometric manifestations of the letter "S," El Sarrag draws upon images reminiscent of Islamic art. In one painting, the letter "S" is held in multiple rectangles throughout the composition, each shaped differently. Color alternates throughout, yet the green "S" dominates, and a captivating red triangle centers the painting, contrasting with the subdued background of shades of grey. Calligraphy is also featured in Marwa Adel's inspirational artwork. A female artist who firmly believes in freedom of expression, Adel uses photography, computer graphics, and calligraphy to produce artwork dealing with self-exploration. “My work reveals a woman's perception of herself, and her desire for freedom,” says Adel. On simple Egyptian fabric, Adel casts images which depict female struggles, while exploring the concept of breaking free of societal chains. Adel's work is very personal, a medium for self-expression. Through her work, the artist shares her dreams of living on an isolated island, where she could be free to be whoever she wants. Knowing that such dreams are nearly impossible to achieve, Adel chooses artistic freedom; in her art, she can fully express her desperation for female freedom. “I do not believe that women will ever be totally free from restrictions,” says Adel. “At the same time, I am using creativity to express my own desires and my own personality.” The calligraphy in Adel's work is intended to be functional rather than merely ornamental. Excerpts from Arabic literature and Farsi poetry with similar themes of freedom complement Adel's photographs. Sometimes the young artist even uses excerpts from her own diaries. Another female artist who creates a rather fantastical word is the undeniably talented Souad Mardam Bey. Born in Damascus, Syria but living in Cairo, Mardam Bey uses oil and mixed media to create her own imaginary characters. She then drowns the characters in bold colors, giving them the unique ability to draw the viewer into a beautiful reverie. Walking the gallery's somewhat scary wooden staircase, you will glimpse a large brown painting of a boy, seemingly seeking camouflage. Yet the child's expression, serene but helpless, pulls you in. Mardam Bey has a way with oil paints, whereby luscious texture is produced to sustain the elaborate creatures she creates; whether man, woman, child, animal, bird, or fish. But another artist brings the mythic fish to Safar Khan. Mostafa el-Razzaz contributed three enthralling paintings; in each, man meets fish in a sea of color. From the window of his apartment overlooking the Nile, el-Razzaz spends every morning observing life on fishing boats. “Long ago, I used to look very closely at the fishermen until I realized that they were actually women,” the artist says tenderly. El-Razzaz's first experience with fish took place in 1964, at the dawn of his artistic career. “I fell in love with my own paintings, and as the years passed by, they grew more and more beautiful in my mind,” he says. “The memory of those fishermen and their fish has lingered ever since.” The versatile artist recently gave in to nostalgia, and decided to revisit the Nile. “It was that moment in Aswan, when I looked over at the water and saw a man, dressed in an electric blue galabya, throwing the fishnet into the Nile,” recalls el-Razzaz. “I was instantly inspired, and started snapping as many pictures as I could of this man.” There is an easily discernibly dream-like quality to el-Razzaz's artwork. Fish and man come face to face as friends. “I apply my imagination and create a world of symbolism, where the fishermen and the fish have a very special bond.” The artist succeeds in depicting these dissimilar creatures as mythic characters. His compositions are unusual--in one, a fish is held lovingly in the fisherman's hands. He then adds bold color to strengthen the underlying story of harmonic coexistence between fish and man, and fish and woman. The vibrant color which el-Razzaz uses to show the profound and substantial life on the fishing boats surprised many people, since his two previous exhibits were predominantly monochromatic. “I painted a whole collection of chess, where I used black and white oil and acrylic paints to depict a game reflective of life's strategies,” says el-Razzaz. “Then, I revealed 45 years worth of my graphics, including etching and wood cut, which are by nature black and white.” Many heartbeats run through this exhibition, up until the end of September. Take a few minutes to step into the minuscule gallery holding outsize contemporary talent.
