“When an artist starts his piece of work, it’s like going into labor, artist Rabab Nemr explained. “The simple act of drawing a line . and the labor begins.
Seated among the bold, graphic ink drawings of Nemr’s latest collection at the Zamalek Art Gallery, one can easily appreciate the amount of effort went to each piece.
With each stroke of a fine tip Fabiana quill pen and pots of China ink, she transforms the large blank canvases into a well-crafted image.
“I felt I am not only drawing, but at the same time weaving the surface of the painting with this ink that is best described as a noble material, and the pen that is best described as an obedient tool, she recently wrote of her current exhibition.
The central theme of this collection is not new. Nemr focuses on the fishing community in Alexandria. “I really like the life of fishermen and fish. Maybe it’s because I lived in Alexandria all my life? she told The Daily Star Egypt.
“Fisherman’s lives are not easy. There is a lot of drama [depicted] on their faces, she adds.
Her subjects do look exhausted, whether they’re pushing the boats out to sea, or even when they’re playing a hand of cards. Their eyes are not static, but engaged in unheard conversation.
Her characters are emotive, and reflect a tolerance for the hardship of lives, possibly even acceptance. It is all part of the drama that Nemr feels is key to drawing in her audience.
“I empathize with the characters [in my drawings], I can sense the characters the fish, Nemr explained. “You’re going to laugh, but I talk to them.
Nemr spends time observing the fisherman, her surroundings in Alexandria, and the women at the beach. The images she portrays are real, but she doesn’t sketch or take any reference of what she sees. She simply stores the images and impressions in her mind. Once in her studio, she begins to recreate them on the canvas, but from her point of view.
However, for those art aficionados who are familiar with Nemr’s work, the first surprise of this collection is her flagrant use of color.
Her first venture into ink drawings was exclusively black and white. Then, in 2005, she decided to experiment with colors, introducing subtle touches of color as lighting. “But it didn’t satisfy me, she explains.
With this collection, she set about satiating her appetite, using bold, brash colors. Deep purple and muter turquoise hulls of fisherman’s boats grab your attention as you walk through the gallery. The fishermen themselves are dressed in colorful striped vest. A bird stands perched on a wooden pole, with a pinkish rope tied around it.
One can imagine that the artist sees the world in Technicolor, with its characteristic hyper-realistic, saturated levels of color.
“I don’t draw a photograph, Nemr told The Daily Star Egypt.
The colors are chosen, not as a reflection of reality, but for their role in creating depth and heightening drama.
Nemr is driven by her craft. Her artistic style is continuously evolving. She is not scared of leaving her comfort zone as an artist and experimenting with new techniques or styles. When discussing her work, Nemr is quite modest; she is not looking for praise or acceptance, rather she invites constructive criticism, sometimes even insists upon it.
“An artist is always learning while he’s still living, she said.
While she’s working on a collection, she doesn’t concern herself with whether or not the exhibition will be successful, whether or not her pieces will sell. Actually, parting with a piece of work is not easy.
“When I sell a drawing I become very upset, she said. “If the exhibition doesn’t sell I’ll be happy. I do what I have faith in.
It took about two-and-a-half years to complete this collection of over 20 pieces. Her ink drawings are a composite of mostly shapes: Arches, rectangles and trapezoid meld together to create an object or the features of a character.
Nemr began each piece by outlining the image in black and white ink. She then painstakingly added layers of shade and colors using fine, precise strokes of a quill pen.
“Work starts while putting into consideration black and white as the two basic elements in the skeleton, she wrote about her current exhibition. “The painting is also included with black and white.
After the skeleton is done, the turn of color comes. The painting starts anew, based on thinking in color.
After that arduous process, it’s easy to understand why she has difficulty letting go.
In person, Nemr appears patient. Dressed in an elegant black pantsuit, she is warm and friendly to the gallery’s visitors who approach her to congratulate her on her new collection. She almost seems shy.
This is a surprising contrast to her work, which is bold and extroverted. Her slow, tentative approach to her craft hints that there are hidden depths to her character that she releases in her work.
“Rabab Nemr is a remarkable artist; she emanates prestige, exudes unmistakable aura and rank’s high in Egypt’s contemporary artistic movement, fellow artist Farghali Abdel Hafiz described her.
Rabab NemrZamalek Art Gallery11 Brazil St., Zamalek, CairoTel: (02) 735 1240www.zamalekartgallery.comDaily from 10:30 am-9 pm (except Fridays)Until May 3
