Egypt expresses 'deep dissatisfaction' to Netherlands over embassy attack    Global pressure mounts as Gaza fighting intensifies and death toll surges    Egypt, India's BDR Group in talks to establish biologics, cancer drug facility    AUC graduates first cohort of film industry business certificate    At TICAD, Egypt's education minister signs pacts with Casio, SAPIX    Egypt holds special importance for our investments across diverse sectors: Japanese minister    Cairo, Tokyo sign LOI to expand educational cooperation, support for persons with disabilities    Madbouly invites Japanese firms to establish industrial zone in SCZONE    Egypt to tighten waste rules, cut rice straw fees to curb pollution    Al-Sisi meets Qatar PM, Bahrain security adviser to discuss Gaza crisis, regional stability    Indian tourist arrivals to Egypt jump 18.8% in H1-2025: ministry data    Egyptian pound down vs. US dollar at Monday's close – CBE    Egypt's FM, Palestinian PM visit Rafah crossing to review Gaza aid    Egypt prepares unified stance ahead of COP30 in Brazil    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Fitch Ratings: ASEAN Islamic finance set to surpass $1t by 2026-end    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



A healthy dose of culture at Bib Alex
Published in Daily News Egypt on 15 - 12 - 2010

A destination for frazzled Cairenes looking for a more relaxed pace accompanied by a fresh sea breeze and great seafood, Alexandria is often overlooked as a destination for art lovers.
This is unfortunate, as Alexandria, and in particular it's famed Bibliotheca Alexandrina, have a lot to offer in the way of cultural enrichment — from modern art, to astronomy, to Arab folk art.
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a stunning piece of modern architecture, but also a surprisingly high-tech, efficient and bustling center of learning.
Students from the nearby campus of Alexandria University mix with tourists and locals paying a visit to the amazing space, the Middle East's largest library.
But the library has much to offer aside from books; visitors will be surprised at the high quality exhibitions, well-stocked bookstore, and packed calendar of events on offer each month.
In Cairo, a museum outing is synonymous with massive crowds and frustrating unannounced closures, not to mention the fact that appreciation of more than one era or genre of art at a time often requires tedious cross-city treks through a maze of traffic jams.
In Alexandria, the permanent collections at the library offer a satisfying sample of some of Egypt's most exciting art collections, along with carefully-curated displays of fascinating pieces from the country's heritage. The current exhibition on the Bulaq Press features old printing presses and samples of printed material along with explanation of the press's past and present significance in Egyptian publishing.
Also exhibited is a collection of Arab folk art, which includes paintings by Abdel-Ghani Abul-Enein, as well as a fascinating display of costumes and jewelry from across the Arab world — lovingly collected by the artist and his wife, Reaya El-Nimr. A retrospective of pioneering calligraphy artist Mohamed Ibrahim highlights the achievements of the artist and his brother Ibrahim, who dedicated their lives to documenting and preserving the art form.
The library's modern art exhibitions are a truly excellent collection of the works of Egypt's modern masters. Visitors can view the works of Abdel-Salam Eid, a diverse collection spanning different work in different media, along with samples from the work of celebrated Egyptian painters Hamed Saeed and Hassan Soliman.
Surprisingly contemporary are the paintings of brothers Seif and Adham Wanli, Alexandrian artists and intellectuals with a unique style emphasizing quick brush strokes and strong expressiveness. Favorite themes included theatrical scenes, folkloric dance, and the circus, but the library collection contains quirky works depicting sports scenes — tennis, soccer, boxing and cycling — that go well beyond the traditional themes of Egyptian art.
The sculpture collection is also impressive. Works by Ahmed Abdel-Wahab explore Egyptian subjects spanning everything from Akhenaton to the Egyptian female face, utilizing an array of stone, pottery, and bronze. A series of sculptures entitled “Egyptian Girl” is carved in fine detail and evocative of the country's famed and distinctive facial features.
The work of Adam Henin, ranging from statues of contemplated donkeys to abstract drawings on papyrus, is in prominent display at the library, whose collection spans the diverse stages of the artist's development and offers ample examples of the vast array of media and subject matter Henin draws upon in his work.
Another painter-sculptor, Mohie-Eldin Hussein, is also featured in the collection. Hussein's creative use of color, form, and experimentation with ancient and contemporary ceramic techniques revolutionized the ceramic arts movement in Egypt, while his vibrant paintings explore modern takes on the planes of the human face.
An afternoon contemplating these exhibitions at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina is an afternoon well spent: The quality of both the works themselves and the curation is extraordinary, restorative, and well worth the trip.


Adam Henin's sculptures are exhibited at the library.


Clic here to read the story from its source.