Mohamed Abouelnaga
In Egypt, among other Arab countries touched by political transitions in 2011 and 2012, all sorts of ‘engaged artists’ rallied and rioted, fighting the injustices of ‘the system’. Mohamed Abouelnaga was one of them as he explored Egyptian cultural identity along the fight for freedom. His latest work called Four trees in tahrir Square provides a view of the relationship Egyptians have with their country. In the middle of the revolution in Egypt, people took over the streets, protesting and rallying for freedom. One of the means of more tangible expression was to decorate the trees in Tahrir Square with papers covered with demands, wishes, hopes, dreams and complaints. The trees served therefore as messengers for the people’s catharsis and struggle for liberation. To Abouelnaga, the trees act as the glue of Egypt’s collective consciousness and cultural identity in times of change.
Mohamed Abla
Mohamed Abla’s works are characterized by a shimmering dynamic. He shows photography of crowds from above and edits them with oil paint. Through the narrow array of the depicted crowd the single person disappears in a colorful carpet of color dots. Abla does not talk about the individual but about the collective; what seems unthinkable for a single person becomes possible together. Mohamed Abla’s works are a homage to the Egyptian people and particularly to Cairo: the bustle, the noise, the colorful hustle on the streets and the humanity that brings such life to the city.
Khaled Hafez
Khaled Hafez’s works are characterized by a colorful, nearly expressive style. Duality does not dominate Hafez’s work; it is rather the melting of incompatible things. Ancient Egyptian divinities are united with modern western icons. For his works, he chooses comic heroes or fashion magazine beauties. In a playful way, he removes the gap between old and new worlds, between East and West, between high and trivial culture, creating a mirror of society, which according to him is situated in a state of metamorphosis.
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This article appeared as the Culture feature of Revolve#7, Spring 2013, pages 92-95