Canal Mahmoudia, an oil on panel landscape painting by Egyptian artist Seif Wanly on display in Contemporary Views XI at the Al Masar Gallery

ART REVIEW

BY KAZAD

Different generations of Egyptian artists examine the influences of Egypt on their art in Contemporary Views XI, a show in celebration of Al Masar Gallery’s tenth anniversary.

CAIRO, EGYPT-In celebration of its tenth anniversary, Al Masar Gallery brings together artworks by first to fifth generations of Egyptian artists in a major art exhibition titled Contemporary Views XI.  The show includes paintings, drawings, pottery, and sculptures.

Many of the artworks examine the life of the artists and the influences of the Egyptian experience. From its beautiful scenery to Egyptian figures and faces and contemporary social and political views on different subjects, each work expresses unspoken words and emotions.

According to the gallery, the exhibition is an opportunity for artists to candidly express their views of Egypt: ‘The Egyptian identity is portrayed by each artist’s style and approach. The artists’ artworks are nothing but truthful depictions of their surroundings and a representation of the soul of Egyptian Art as a whole.’

Contemporary Views XI includes works by Eminent Modern Contemporary Egyptian Artists dead and living. Some of the late artists whose works are featuring prominently in the show include Hussein Youssef Amin, Seif Wanly, Salim Al Habashi ( Mogli ), Mahmoud Khalil, Samir Rafi, Alexander Saroukhan, Hassan Suleiman, Mahmoud Abdullah, Nabil Darwish & Khadiga Riad, and others.

Among the living artists participating in the show are Omar El Nagdi, Salah Enani, Hazem Taha Hussein, Ebrahim El Dessouki, Hamdi Attia, Sami Aboul Azm, Esam Darwish, Kareem Al Qurity, Hend Adnan, Tarek Montasser, Muhammad Mnadour, Ahmed Farid, and many others.

Contemporary Views of Egypt

The selection of artists according to Al Masar Gallery is an opportunity for “Art collectors & viewers to walk through identical cultural interpretations, various visions and diverse views of our Egyptian Artists who are unique, educators and thinkers.” However, many of the works have greater significance as they touch on Egyptian history.

Omar El Nagdi, Egyptian Princesses 2017. Mixed media and gold leafs on Canvas. Image: Al Masar Gallery

One of the works on display is Egyptian Princesses, a mixed media and gold leaf on canvas by Egyptian artist Omar El Nagdi. The painting brings to the fore, the beauty of Egyptian women. Using motifs found in Egyptian culture, the artist delves into Egyptian history and the present to celebrate the power of Egyptian Princesses.

Also on display is Canal Mahmoudia, an oil on panel landscape painting by Seif Wanly.  Done in the scheme of blues, browns, and gray tones, the painter presents a beautiful and peaceful atmosphere where people go to have fun. On the left side of the painting are canopies where people are sitting and enjoying themselves, while the right side of the painting has two boats at the shore of Canal Mahmoudia. Running across the canal from the middle ground to the foreground is a footbridge cleverly composed to guide the eyes to beauty at the shore of Canal Mahmoudia.

Alexander the Great

In addition to the beauty of the painting, the piece also touches on an important aspect of Egyptian history. The Canal Mahmoudia is the first freshwater canal from the Nile to Alexandria. It was built under the rule of Ptolemy I, a Macedonian Greek general under Alexander the Great. He became ruler of Egypt (323–283/2 BC) and founded a dynasty that ruled it for the next three centuries.

Under his rule, Ptolemy I turned Egypt into a Hellenistic kingdom and Alexandria into a center of Greek culture.  However, the canal has gone through many reconstructions and continues to serve as a major source of water supply in Egypt.

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Formed in 2008, the Al Masar Gallery has been at the forefront of promoting Modern and Contemporary Art.  The gallery’s objective is succinctly in its statement:

In recognition of the importance of the flux of both modern & contemporary Egyptian art, Almasar Gallery will provide multifunctional exhibition spaces as a platform for Egypt’s pioneering artists beginning with the landmark third generation of the Egyptian modern art movement, swiftly followed by the pioneers of the fourth generation, the innovators of the fifth and the talented and promising contemporary artists of the future.

In the last 10 years, the gallery has held many exhibitions including Masterpieces, Alienation: Paintings by Sami Aboul Azm, Passing Faces Paintings by Kareem Al Qurity, Tahia Halim: Mes Voyages, Echoes of past visions: Political drawings1957 – 1977, and many others.  Contemporary Views XI runs through September 27, 2018.

Al Masar Gallery celebrates its tenth anniversary with Contemporary Views XI, a show on Egyptian artists.

What do you think about the gallery’s contribution to the growth of contemporary art in Egypt? Share your views and comments.