12 – 20 NOVEMBER 2013

From 6pm to 8.30pm

The seminar History of Egyptian Modern Art Part One is a two and a half hour introduction to the glorious history of Egyptian Modern Art. It examines the reasons behind the birth and rise of Egyptian modern art at the turn of the 20th century, with the founding of the Fine Arts School, all the way through to the Art & Freedom Group in the 1940’s.

Using the work of significant artists as reference points, the seminar is a voyage showcasing the influences by the nationalist search for an Egyptian identity, free from foreign occupation. The political driving forces, the social and cultural context as well as the major artistic movements are covered.

Kicking off the night of the seminar is a one-week exhibition showcasing works, on loan, of Egyptian pioneer artists from the first and second generations. The exhibition is an attempt to bring the museum in a private set-up and give the seminar’s attendants and art lovers a chance to view pioneers’ works while going through the historical context. All works have been loaned from generous Egyptian private collectors. ArtTalks would like to thank them for their trust and generosity.

Pre-registration is required.

Sequoia and ArtTalks Gallery are cooperating to launch a FANOUS RAMADAN PUBLIC ART Event to celebrate our heritage during the 2013 Ramadan. Twenty Egyptian Artists (Established and Emerging) have been approached to turn a 1.20meter Fanous into an artwork to be displayed around Sequoia during the holy month of Ramadan. The 20 Ramadan Lanterns are available for sale, with 50% of the sales receipts going towards helping unable individuals regain their sight.

As part of our efforts to grow the number of art lovers and art patrons in Egypt, ArtTalks is launching COLLECTING 101 | New Collectors Artweek. This Group Exhibition aims at encouraging novice collectors to go beyond appreciating art by starting to gradually build an art collection.

Works by modern pioneer artists such as Seif and Adham Wanly, Salah Taher, Ahmed Refaat and Ismail Samy as well as established  (Adam Henein, George Bahgory, Moataz Nasr, Huda Lutfi, Omar el Nagdi) and emerging artists have been carefully selected and offered at reasonable prices. We would like to thank all the artists who supported us in this endeavor.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013
From 11am to 1.30pm
Lecturer: Fatenn Mostafa

The seminar History of Egyptian Modern Art Part Two is a two and a half hours introduction to the spectacular development of Egyptian Modern Art from the 1940s to 1970. It will cover the 1940s surrealists of the Art & Freedom Group; the 1950s Contemporary Art Group and will conclude with (propaganda) art under President Gamal Abdel Nasser.

Using works of significant artists as reference points such as Abdel Hady el Gazzar, Hamed Nada, Injy Aflatoun, Samir Rafi, Tahia Halim, Gazbia Serri Hamed Owais and others, the seminar is a voyage into the

artists’ insatiable quest for a national identity.

Pre-registration is required.

ArtTalks is pleased to announce the addition of Weaam El Masry to its growing roster. El Masry’s first solo exhibition at the gallery will take place in May, 2013. Weaam el Masry was born in 1987. She works and lives in Cairo, Egypt. She holds a PhD in Media Arts from the Faculty of Applied Arts, Helwan University. She has received over 17 awards and has participated in over 40 exhibitions locally and internationally.

Universal gender-based issues are all the essence of el Masry’s visual language and the product of her experience as an Egyptian wife, mother, artist – but most of all, a woman. Her work explores issues of her native society especially the position of women, relationships and religion, yet is timeless and universal. It is a complex and courageous combination of images in a deeply moving environment. Building on the personal, it weaves together timelessness and universality supported by outstanding drawing abilities. The absolute though nervous control of line has become El-Masry’s signature drawing technique. A multi-award winner, El-Masry researches, peels the onion, goes beyond the superficial or the clichés. She seeks profound answers, and she is driven by her personal voyage that she doesn’t shy away from sharing with the public. Her work is genuine and intimate, like an autobiography. And it is made with pride; this you can immediately sense. This fearless honesty with overweight nude bodies invades the space and hypnotizes the viewer. To liberate him. To liberate her. Very few artists can manage to do that.

Egypt now has its own Donkey Parade, thanks to the Caravan Festival promoting interfaith – Peace & Compassion. 90 Donkeys will be displayed across Cairo!

Al-Azhar representative Sheikh Mohamed El-Hawwary at the opening night on May 9th, 2013: “Islam is not against art. Art is a form of beauty…although we always prefer moral principles over aesthetics…To art that unites people, we say ‘welcome’.”

45 Egyptian and foreign artists, among them some of Egypt’s most prominent contemporary artists are participating in this year’s Caravan Arts Festival, now in its fifth edition. Seeking to promote interfaith dialogue and challenge sectarian strife, the festival borrows the idea of the Animal Parade that is exhibited across a city in public and commercial spaces. Zurich, Dubai, Istanbul, and Los Angeles have previously witnessed camels, elephants, and cows Parade. Cairo will witness the Donkey Parade. Each of the 45 selected artists, hailing from countries across the globe – including Poland, Switzerland, the UK, Jordan, France and Norway – were given two fiberglass donkeys, a life-sized and a mini version, and were asked to paint them in their own style, while reflecting this year’s theme: ‘In Peace and With Compassion…The Way Forward.’ The donkey was chosen as it symbolizes peace in both Christianity and Islam. For two weeks, the donkeys, which are for sale, with twenty percent of their proceeds being donated to local charities, will travel across Cairo.

ArtTalks is proud to exhibit 3 of the life-size donkeys for rising contemporary visual artists Marwa Adel, Ahmed Kassim and Alaa Awad.

25 selected pieces of artwork will travel to exhibitions in London and Geneva, before being auctioned off in Europe, also to support Egyptian charities.

Donkeys will be exhibited in the following locations from 12 to 25 May:

Hotels: Four Seasons Hotel (First Residence and Nile Plaza), Kempinski Nile Hotel, Cairo Marriott Hotel, Sofitel El Gezirah.

Galleries: Picasso Art Gallery, Mashrabia Gallery, Gallery Misr, Zamalek Art Gallery, ArtTalks Gallery.

Other: The British Council, Community Services Association (Maadi), St. John’s Church, Cairo American College, American University in Cairo.

APRIL 3, 2013 AT 7 PM

As part of our mission to nurture art knowledge, we are celebrating the 79^th passing anniversary of Egypt’s iconic sculptor – Mahmoud Mokhtar. Dr Emad Abou-Ghazi, Egypt’s former minister of culture and a historian, will indulge into our glorious past, celebrating Egypt’s nationalistic hero and sculptor by taking us through the personal and the public about Mokhtar.

On show, we will exhibit rare personal photographs from Mokhtar and original works of sculpture on loan from private collectors.

As part of our mission to act as a search engine for Egypt’s next generation of Contemporary Artists, ArtTalks is proud to  announce the addition of Maged Mekhail to its roster of promising emerging artists.

Born in1982,Mekhail graduated from Helwan Fine Arts Institute in 2004, after which he trained during 4 years under the tutelage of Egyptian pivotal artist, Adam Henein. Armed with outstanding craftsmanship and intensive training, Mekhail carved a distinctive and independent direction for himself, culminating in winning the 2011 Sculpture Award at the Ministry of Culture’s Youth Salon.

Mekhail continues the legacy of prominent Egyptian sculptors such as Mahmoud Mokhtar and Henein to mix pharaonic influence with contemporary sculpting. To this however, he adds Coptic influences deriving from his roots. His forms are usually semi-abstractions of the human figure – suggestive celebration of the sensual female body or icons of our proud Egyptian Coptic and Muslim heritage.

As we struggle and argue about our Egyptian identity, Maged Mekhail gently reminds us of what we stand for – a diverse, rich and tolerant people who has shaped the past and is able to embrace the future.

Five rebellious, avant-garde Egyptian writers and painters founded in 1939 a movement that for the first time in modern Egypt linked politics to art – The Art & Freedom Group. Though surrealism prevailed amongst the founders, the group was an eclectic cluster of some of the most important creative forces Egypt had ever seen.

Convinced that Egypt was “a sick and failing society”, the 5 outspoken protagonists (George Henein, Ramses Younan, Fouad & Anwar Kamel and Kamel el Telmessani) stated that art did not exist merely as ‘art for art’s sake’, but rather‘ art presented itself as the means to liberate Egypt’, with the defiant use of the pen and brush.

Fast forward to Egypt in 2012, with a newly democratically elected president and a confused society, we are presenting the works of 9 Egyptian artists whose work echoes the legacy of the Art & Freedom group, acting as agents for social change for a free liberated Egypt.

Samir Gharib, journalist, art critic, author, former chairman of Egypt national library and archives and currently chairman of the National Organisation of UrbanHarmony (NOUH), talked to us on December 18, 2012about the history of that art movement.MrGharibhas dedicated years of his life to document the Art & Freedom group. His research culminated into “Surrealism in Egypt” published in 1986 in 3 languages and “RayyatelKhayyal” in 199

February 20, 2013 at 11am

Ahram Online Praises Maged Mekhail’s Solo Exhibition

http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/65374.aspx

Come and Join us for our ArtCafe in the Presence of the Artist Maged Mekhail.

Presenting over 50 works of sculptures and paintings, ArtTalks is proud to launch Mekhail’s first solo show in Egypt. A Mahmoud Mokhtar in the making, Mekhail trained during 4 years with Egypt’s pivotal artist, Adam Henein after graduating from the Fine Arts University in 2004. Combining Coptic, Greek and Pharaonic influences, Mekhail reminds us of our proud heritage in a contemporary set-up.

Born in 1982, Mekhail works and lives in Cairo