For the established social sets of New York, London and wherever else the wealthy gather, the art auction is a beloved institution. In a wonderful melange of affluence, culture and philanthropy, the art auction expresses the desire and temperament of many a gentleman and lady to mix with their kind at a party with a purpose: altruism. Here in Cairo, it also means sadaqa, charitable donations often made during the month of Ramadan. Zamalek Art Gallery, with the support of the Fairmont Nile City hotel, is currently holding an exhibition-cum-auction on the stunning outdoor pavilion of the hotel. All proceeds from sales going directly to the well-known and worthwhile charity, Operation Smile, which performs surgeries for people born with facial deformities. The event's organizers — Naheda Khoury of the Zamalek Art Gallery, Jennifer Devlin of Operation Smile and Farah El Alfy, public relations manager of the Fairmount Nile City Hotel — are trying to amass LE 200,000, or the cost of one full medical mission to Egypt. The cash pays for a full team of surgeons and staff to perform around 150 surgeries over a two-week period. If all donated artwork sells, they will only need another LE 44,000 gathered from donations and subsidiary events taking place this week. So far, 10 pieces of 20 have been sold. What's remarkable about the exhibition itself is the quality of work on display. Pieces donated by such well-known Egyptian artists as Culture Minister Farouk Hosny, Mohamed El-Fayoumy, Rabab Nemr, Zeinab Al Sageny, Farghali Abdel Hafiz and Abdel Rahman El Nachar, to name a few, are all individually strong and stunning. Usually, for an art auction, the charity, and not the caliber of the work, is the focus of the event. The pieces here are all smart investments at reduced prices. ¬¬¬¬¬El Alfy says, “This is a great opportunity for art collectors because the works are cheaper than they would otherwise be, plus it all goes to charity.” Personal favorites of the collection include Hosny's deconstructed, Miro-esque abstract chalk drawing, where dusty yellows and blues mess around against a brown flattened background. Another standout is Farghali Abdel Hafiz's figurative pastel and acrylic drawing of a horse and hunter, made all the more fantastic by the unusual commentary Daily News Egypt received directly from the artist's mouth, so to speak. In the piece, colors are chosen for their particular meanings. The green, for example, plays a unique role by encircling the scene in bits and pieces: trees, horse-paraphernalia and light-bulb all naturally, as Abdel Hafiz explains, point to the symbolic and “cosmic” quality of “color and nature.” There is also some sort of mysterious relationship between hunter, horse and Mother Earth. Inspiration comes from unexpected places. Another splendid work on display is Zeinab Al Sageny's oil and acrylic painting. A small, modest piece, it depicts three women walking away from countryside abodes. The piece is done crudely. Shades of brown, scratches and the expressive hand of the artist create a beautiful scene, one almost looking as if it was taken off the wall of an old ruin, or cave in a forgotten place. The auction-cum-exhibition is important for two reasons: Firstly, for the wealthy who have forgotten to be generous for the rest of the year to make amends by donating to a worthy cause. Secondly, the opportunity to buy the work of an important (read: pricey and established) Egyptian artist for a fraction of the cost, and for a good cause, rarely presents itself. This auction is not the kind of haughty cultural elitism that most art events typically engender. It is a humble affair put on by passionate people for the purpose of giving. El Alfy said at the end of our conversation, visibly moved, “I'm really surprised by people's generosity… When artists found out about the exhibition, they called me, asking to donate work even after the catalogue was printed.” The show is made precisely for the cause. The exhibition closes on Tuesday, Aug. 24.
