WATANI International
23 August 2009
Dimensions
The Museum of Modern Egyptian Art this month hosted Abaad (Dimensions), an exhibition of artworks of the veteran artist Ramsis Younan (1913 – 1966) which displays for the first time a collection of gouache paintings. Younan—founder of the surrealism and later abstract in Egypt—is regarded as one of the pioneers of renovation in Egyptian art, and one of the advocates of liberation in thought and art.
Younan was famous for his effort to transfer and depict contemporary Western culture into Arabic through translation and painting.
Children workshops
Under the theme title of “Buds of Tomorrow VII”, the Mahmoud Said Centre for Museums in Alexandria is holding for the seventh year in succession, a number of workshops for 150 youngsters aged between six and 16 through July and August. The workshops include painting, photography, printing, collage, sculpture, and handwork using gouache, pastel, and wax colours. The subjects vary between ‘Egypt, the Peaceful’; ‘The Alexandrian Environment’, and ‘Monuments in Egypt’. Other workshops are held to teach calligraphy, caricature and animation. A collective exhibition will be held at the end of the workshops to display the artworks of the talented children, who receive certificates of appreciation from the Plastic Art Sector as an encouragement to cultivate their artistic talents.
Gandhi
On the occasion of the 62nd anniversary of India’s independence, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, together with Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture (MACIC), held from 16 to 20 August a photographic exhibition entitled “Gandhi: His Life and his Message”.
The exhibition on Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Indian Nation, featured portraits, photographs, books and other items associated with his life. Documentary films about him were also screened.
Young artists
The Easel and Camera Contemporary art gallery in Maadi, Cairo, is hosting a collective exhibition of artwork by young and established artists until the end of September. They include Mai Refqi, Mohamed Abla, Mohamed Taman, Tariq al-Sheikh, Wi’aam al-Masri and Mohamed Banawi. The paintings reflect on the beauty of the Egyptian scenery and everyday life using the mediums of oil, pen, acrylic, mosaic—and even coffee.
“First time”
In an attempt to introduce promising young artists, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina earlier this month held its annual exhibition entitled “First Time”, for which artworks are chosen by the Art Centre of the BA to be displayed for the first time side by side those works by veteran artists. Among the young talents promoted this year were Heba Aziz, who introduces herself through innovative and untraditional works in the field of Bio-Art and who was well received by the viewers.
Four exhibitions
The four art galleries of the Cairo Atelier earlier this month held four exhibitions by four artists. The first, Injy Aflatoun, displayed a number of paintings by Libyan artist Linda Muaweya, who focused on Libyan women and their contemporary issues. The second gallery, Rateb Seddiq, hosted the artist Taha Youssef, whose sculptures conveyed the philosophical dimensions of the human emotions. The third, Tahiya Halim, presented recent paintings by the spontaneous artist Iman Tulba, who turned to fine arts after taking a business degree. Apart from traditional styles, Tulba managed to disclose the world of women with its feelings. The fourth gallery, Mohammed Nagy, hosted paintings by Kawther Galhoum, who depicts everyday life through monitoring human sentiments.
The picture shows a mosaic by Banawi exhibited by the Easel and Camera Contemporary art gallery in Maadi, Cairo