When walking from one painting to another, you find yourself going from traditional to modern, old to new, nostalgia to anticipation. It is like a journey into the depths of Egyptian society. You are taken there by prominent artists, who live in this society and have tried to communicate their experiences through their paintings. Egypt is the dominant theme in the ‘Summer Collective Exhibition', being held in the Safar Khan Art Gallery in Zamalek. The exhibition, which runs till the end of July, is of valuable works by twelve artists. In his abstract work ‘Ahat' (Groans), Ihab Shaker, born in 1933, has painted a human being, maybe a woman, holding a guitar and probably singing. But the person is sitting uncomfortably and is obviously in pain. Ihab has created an atmosphere of ‘whimsical rebellion'. He uses the medium of painting to accomplish what music achieves, although he stops short at absolute abstraction. In her paintings, young artist Alyaa Kamel (born in 1975 in Geneva) describes the powerful events happening in Egypt; her black-and-red drawings personify hope. “I have re-created the beauty of what I have seen in recent years, especially since the revolution, when a vast spectrum of human emotions took centre-stage. “I have portrayed an explosion of life, with all its resentment, tears and laughter. My exhibition is an expression of hope, hope for a better life waiting for us", she explains. In the same exhibition, Nermine Hammam (born in 1967 in Egypt) is exhibiting some of the works from her collection ‘Anachrony', which she created in 2010. ‘Anachrony' is a series of mixed media images that depict anonymous human forms cocooned inside long, flowing drapes of fabric in a surrealist-inspired Fayoum landscape of desert and mountains. For Nermine, art comes from ‘the unexpected outcomes of human interactions'. “Collaboration is the answer; it is all that stands between us and the void," she stresses. As for Anna Boghiguian (born in 1946 in Egypt), she has succeeded in capturing the essence and culture of a city as vibrant and chaotic as Cairo. Anna has a deep understanding of the capital's soul as well as a sharp eye for the continuous metamorphosis of movement against a background that is both timeless and undergoing constant renewal. As for Nazli Madkour (born in 1949 in Egypt), he works are a homage to Egyptian women, a tribute to their glory, to their sufferings and to their dignity. The flowers she has painted symbolise joy and hope, but also melancholy and mourning. Katherine Bakhoum's (born in 1949 in Egypt) works focus on women through the ages and the changes they have experienced. In her attractive, old-fashioned paintings, she draws upon the concept of orientalism and its enchantment. Egyptian artist Ahmed Hamid has designed contemporary textiles, accessories, furniture and other objects, using photography to document these innovations. Hamid's 30 years of architectural experience have been driven by the inextricable relationship between art and architecture, as well as the conviction that the positive influence of art and design extends beyond function, encapsulating an entire mode de vie. The works of Syrian artist Souad Mardam Bey, also participating in the exhibition, seem to emerge from familiar everyday scenes and faces, but she surprises us by transforming these simple subjects into evocative, expressive, bold compositions. Souad has a very perceptive eye, which captures emotions very vividly. The exhibition, which also features works by late Egyptian artists Ahmed Zaghloul, Kamal Khalifa, Effat Naghi and Mohamed Ismail, is being held in Safar Khan Art Gallery, 6 Brazil St. Zamalek (2735-3314). It runs until July 31.
