With the aim of reviving the art scene in Egypt and bridging a gap between contemporary artists and ordinary citizens, Dai Gallery in Mohandessin organised an exhibition for the artistic works of leading artist Waleed Ebeid between 7-21 January. In another hall, the art space hosted another exhibition for the outstanding works of prominent late artist Mohsen Shaalan, the former head of the Fine Arts sector and one of the defendants in the theft case of Van Gogh’s famous “Poppy Flowers” painting.
The exhibition provides art fans with a chance to have an insightful look at Ebeid’s latest paintings that tackle the current circumstances of women in modern society and highlight different kinds of oppression and struggles they encounter in their daily life.
“In spite of the unstable current situation of the country, I was surprised that the exhibition managed to attract a big number of artists and general audiences who surpassed all of my expectations,” Ebeid said.
With various paintings hanging on the walls of the art gallery, the audience is taken onto a special journey with Ebeid’s distinctive characters whose faces may show persistence, challenge, and patience in some cases or express depression, despair, and fear of the other.
In his drawings, a viewer can find his own interpretations of many critical issues such as child marriage, prostitution, virginity tests, adultery, or migration. The audience can even find a modern version of the goddess Isis, the pharaonic icon of revenge, patience, and loyalty, portrayed as a poor resident of a slum area.
Because this is considered Ebeid’s 19th official exhibition, the selection of the exhibited paintings was not an easy task.
“In fact, I had special criteria for choosing the presented paintings. One important factor was the harmony, homogeneity, and integrity of the selected drawings that discuss important issues related to human relationships and women’s pains and dreams,” he added.
In his opinion, people’s hunger for attending artistic events is a good indicator for interaction with the audience, which is the real success every artist seeks.
“We can’t determine the number of sold paintings until the end of the exhibition, but I always measure success through the ability of touching people’s souls and expressing their feelings and thoughts. I believe the exhibition has succeeded in achieving this goal,” he concluded.
