HIS deft fingertips told many stories about this talented man, his life, feelings and ideas. In his works, Nabil Darwish (1936-2002) devoted himself to studying the ancient art of pottery. The purpose of such study was not imitating or copying, but learning from the lessons of his predecessors. The latest exhibition of Nabil's finest pottery works is being held at Al-Masar Art Gallery in Cairo. It includes items from the late artist's collection, the Art Market for Acquisition. The artist based his works on Islamic art and culture. He made pottery objects that were both practical and impractical, using his own imagination. Darwish's works were also inspired by Egyptian folklore, reflected in his pots, puppets and sculptures with Islamic forms and shapes, using his own special mixture of clay. Beauty ��" a combination of shape, colour and proportion, delighting the senses and the mental faculties ��" was a must in all his works. For him, each item of pottery was a distinct work of art, full of beauty. The late artist once wrote about his own works saying: "The pottery item passes through many stages [such as fashioning the clay, painting or drawing on it, choosing the right style, and burning and baking the pottery] before completion. “The potter must establish a balance between a good material and the beauty of the shape. It is also essential to keep on searching for new local materials in order to harmonise pottery with its traditional use and express its beauty.” Nabil Darwish first embarked on his career as a potter in 1962, the year he graduated from the Faculty of Applied Arts. He was a pupil of the great pioneering Professor Saeed el-Sadr, who taught him so much in his workshop. Professor el-Sadr's workshop, known as the ‘Pottery Centre', belonged to the Egyptian Ministry of Culture. Darwish learned the tricks of the trade there , before, in 1971, submitting his thesis on pottery. After that, he swiftly became a household name. In his thesis, Darwish concentrated on the influence of Islamic art on pottery. He travelled to the Gulf emirate of Kuwait, where he discovered a kind of sandy clay, ideal for making local pottery. In Qatar and Bahrain, he discovered kinds of clay that are good for making baked clay vessels. He also visited Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Syria and Lebanon, in order to discover the true origins of Arab and Islamic pottery. Drawing with smoke was one Darwish's unusual characteristics. He used the carbon in the smoke to design plants and human and animal shapes on his pottery. The exhibition of the late Egyptian artist Nabil Darwish is being held in Al-Masar Art Gallery of Contemporary Art, Behler's Mansion, 157B, 26 July St., ground floor, side entrance, Zamalek (02/2736-8537). The exhibition, which runs until February 20, is open daily from 11am until 9pm except on Fridays.
