Opening Reception 12 April 2016 6 to 9 pm Exhibition 12 April - 3 May 2016
By Fatenn Mostafa
If Salah Jahin (1930-1986) played a pivotal role in the development of Egyptian colloquial poetry with an innate nationalistic flair, Alexandria-based painter Guirguis Lotfy invented colloquial Egyptian visual arts. Tirelessly, Lotfy depicts our feasts, celebrations, rituals and traditions that were or still are part of our cultural fabric. Pharaonic, Islamic or Coptic, Lotfy offers a personal rendering of those little moments of bonding and shared history, of some trivial mundane scenes with simple ordinary people. His life in a populous neighborhood in Alexandria that still believes in magic and folklore remains a primary subject.
I thank my God that I was born in the land of Mystery, That I have grown in the shade of Palm-trees... That I have lived in the arms of the Desert, Great Keeper of Secrets... That I have drunk deep of age-old Nile.
Egyptian author Doria Shafik (1908-1975)
Describing his artistic process as literally looking out his window and painting what he sees, Lotfy has shown an indefatigable commitment to his people by bringing forth its homogenous character. As he genuinely captures the essence of our Egyptian-ness, he reminds us that neither religion nor social status can tear us a part. Don’t let be fooled by the apparent simplicity and naivety of his crowded paintings! Lotfy seeks to resuscitate an ancient Egyptian elaborate painting technique practiced two millennia ago in religious iconography and the famed Fayoum Portraits and uses bee
wax or tempera colors dissolved in egg yolk and gold leaf. For Guirguis Lotfy, the ancient serves the present and Egypt is both one and many. It is yesterday, today and tomorrow; it is his primary source of pride and he intends to make it eternal. In his third solo exhibition at ArtTalks, Guirguis honors Renée, his wife, the mother of his children and his lifetime companion. Together Guirguis and Renée bring the past into today to provide answers for a better tomorrow. When Guirguis is with Renée, nothing else matters. Born in 1955, Guirguis Lotfy lives and works in Alexandria, Egypt. After receiving a BFA from Alexandria Faculty of Fine Arts in 1980, Lotfy went on to pursue his MFA on “Coptic painting from the 4th to the 8th Century” in 1990 and his PhD on “Coptic Art and its influence on Modern Art” in 1994 from the Cairo Faculty of Fine Arts. Hamed Owais (1919-2011) and Hamed Nada (1924-1990), two of Egypt’s modern pioneer artists, were closely involved at different stages in the supervision of Guirguis Lotfy’s masters and doctorate degrees respectively.
BIO Born 1955 Works and lives in Alexandria, Egypt
E D U C AT I O N 1980 B.Sc. Fine arts, Alexandria university 1986 Diploma in fine arts, Helwan university Cairo 1986 Masters degree philosophy of arts, Helwan university 1991 PhD, Philosophy of arts, Helwan University
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS 2014 ArtTalks | Egypt. Love Affair. 2013 ArtTalks | Egypt. Heya Di Masr Ya Abla. 2004 French Cultural Center, Alexandria, “Les Mémoires de Guirguis” 2002 Alexandria Center of Art , “Dala fa wagad” 2001 Cairo Atelier “The Storm” 1999 The Museum of Fine Arts, Cairo, “The Storm” 1998 The Spanish Cultural Center 1997 Hanager, Zamalek Art Center, “El Mouled” 1996 Meniat al Nasr “The Wooden Horse” 1992 The Faculty of Fine Arts, Zamalek, Cairo. 1991 Kandil Hall 1989 St Marc “Horreya” 1989 Faculty of Fine Arts, Zamalek, Cairo. Guirguis Lotfy’s Portrait by modern painter Mostafa Kamel (1917-1982)
Abayan Zein / Fortune Teller 2015 Tempera, natural oxides, gold leaf on treated wood 120 x 80 cm
Fi Intizar Madfa3 el Iftar/ Waiting for the Fast Break 2015 Oil, gold leaf on canvas 120 x 70 cm
Farah fi Shar3a / Wedding in the Street 2015 Tempera, natural oxides, gold leaf on treated wood 152 x 152 cm
Baqat el Batikh / Watermelon Seller 2015 Oil, gold leaf on canvas 70 x 50 cm
Om w Atfal / Mother and Children 2015 Oil, gold leaf on canvas 70 x 50 cm
El Saif / Summertime 2015 Tempera, natural oxides, gold leaf on treated wood 152 x 152 cm
El Leil Lama Khely / When The Night Ends 2015 Tempera, natural oxides, gold leaf on canvas 120 x 68 cm
El La Nehaya / Infinity 2015 Tempera, natural oxides, gold leaf on canvas 120 x 68 cm
Mazad el Batikh / Watermelon Bid 2015 Tempera, natural oxides, gold leaf on treated wood 121 x 121 cm
El Soubou3 / The Kabsa Legend 2015 Oil, gold leaf on canvas 118 x 67 cm
Hadikat el Hayawan / The Zoo 2015 Tempera, natural oxides, gold leaf on treated wood 190 x 80 cm
El Mouled 2015
Tempera, natural oxides, gold leaf on treated wood 120 x 240 cm
Fakk el Sahr / To End the Spell 2015 Tempera, natural oxides, gold leaf on treated wood 63 x 56 cm
El Bawwab / The Porter 2015 Tempera, natural oxides, gold leaf on treated wood 63 x 56 cm
Catalogue Published on the occasion of the show Guirguis Lotfy Renée معك ال أريد شياًء 12 April - 3 May 2016 ArtTalks | Egypt Graphic Concept & Realization Omar Mobarek Texts Fatenn Mostafa Coordinator Cherine Chafik Lisa Lounis Aynour Zeitoun Suzan Rashed Photographs Lisa Lounis Paul Lotfi Printing Concorde Press
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