It began with an image of an old telephone. It had to be painted in a context; the one envisioned was of a man putting away his lighter, cigarette and watch, “putting his dreams on a hanger. From Mohamed Mounir’s song “­­­­­­­­­­­­Sheta (Winter) came the first painting that was to culminate in an exhibit entitled “Aghani laha Maani (“Meaningful Songs ).
Opened Monday at Sawy Culture Wheel’s Earth Hall, the exhibit documents what artist Amal Seddik Afify calls her two-year “obsession with Mounir’s music, presenting 40 paintings based on the Egyptian singer’s popular lyrics.
Like that of the man who has put away his paraphernalia, some paintings seem to illustrate – all too literally, according to some – the subject matter of a song. It’s a trait derived from Afify’s work as an illustrator for the children’s books she authored.
“That’s why I started painting, Afify told Daily News Egypt, “to draw for children’s books. Yet her endeavor that led her to take lessons in painting four years ago soon led to outward directions. “I felt there were many other nice things to express other than my books.
Afify holds a doctorate from Birmingham University and teaches Business Administration at El-Nahda University in the governorate of Beni Suef and at Thebes Academy. Beside her children’s books, she’s written one historical treatise on Mohamed Ali and a novel entitled “Youm min El-ayam (One of those Days) to her credit.
Afify was full of praise for Mounir’s songs that touch upon various themes such as patriotism and platonic love, for instance.
Interestingly, both the patriotic sentiment of “Alb el watan magrooh (The Heart of the Nation is Wounded) and adoration of the “Ahmar Shafayif (Red Lipstick) are illustrated by a red rose in separate paintings.
At the exhibit, the artist also hosted Emad Rizk, teacher at the Faculty of Fine Arts, in an exhibit of about a dozen paintings whose title “Hadoota masriyya (Egyptian Stories) is also borrowed from one of Mounir’s songs.
The influence of his work on Afify, with illustrations of the everyday Egyptian – two girl friends, the markets, the feluccas – is evident.
Afify’s own painting of the same title “Hadoota masriyya depicts an Egyptian family that lives in a boat, on the floating address of the Nile. “I don’t care about your color; I don’t care where you live, say the accompanying lyrics, “I only care about the human, even if he doesn’t have an address.
A sense of anonymous altruism is evident in the works, and none of her subjects is unflatteringly portrayed.
While uncharacteristic of the exhibit, Afify’s simplistic depictions can veer on the melodramatic. In a black-and-white painting, with a tear rolling down her cheek, a woman’s face is meant to illustrate Mounir s lyrics: “Your love is not a sin. I can’t take away your tears, but I can’t stop loving you.
And while the painting of the dark-skinned woman reflects shades of gold, it provides no further dimensions than the simple content of the song, “Tonight’s the night, o dark beauty.
In contrast stand the poignant and more personal expression of beachside scenes illustrating a farewell, like love that is sometimes no more than a seasonal guest. “We all go through that, says Afify, “we leave a place we love because we cannot be there anymore.
“If you must leave, then I hate goodbyes, but I have no choice but to say goodbye, goes the Mounir song. Painting what could be a last lingering look at the beach while leaving was more interesting, said Afify, than drawing lovers parting on a train.
Another illustration of an unavoidable abandonment is that of Mounir’s leafless “Lemon Tree set in the foreground of a setting sun. “Between you and I, sadness passes, days pass. And all the lemon trees are sad and lifeless on the ground. Beauty and departure are captured in a sunset touched with shades of purple, drawing the colors out of the silhouetted lemon tree.
Yet amid all these departures is a personal hope on part of the author. One hears Mounir so often saying on TV that he will leave, said the artist. In what is a personal tribute, Afify tells Mounir, “Raise your voice and sing, for more songs remain to be sung.
Afify has the same hope for herself as she faces the atelier today with some trepidation towards what comes now. As for the Mounir obsession, it is finally satisfied.
“Meaninful Songs will continue at Sawy’s Earth Hall till June 9, from 10 am to 6 pm.
