ART T AL KS. COM C AI R O2022
THE GEORGEBAHGORY MUSEUM. P ARTO NE
THE GEORGE BAHGORY MUSEUM 2022
ARTTALKS.COM EXCLUSIVE
ﺟﻮرج اﻟﺒﻬﺠﻮري. اﻟﻔﻨﺎن اﻟﺼﺪﻳﻖ اﻟﻤﻮﻫﻮب ﻳﺤﻤﻞ ﺷﻌﺎع ﻣﻦ اﻟﻨﻮر ﻣﻦ اﻟﻌﺼﻮر اﻟﺠﻤﻴﻠﺔ. ﺟﻮرج اﻟﺒﻬﺠﻮري. ﻓﻨــﺎن ذو ﻣﻮﻫﺒــﺔ ﻧــﺎدرة ﻋﻨﺪﻣــﺎ ﻳﺒــﺪأ ﻓــﻲ رﺳــﻢ أى ﺷــﺨﺺ وﺑﻨﻈــﺮة ﺳــﺮﻳﻌﺔ ،ﻳﺒــﺪأ ﺑﺎﻟﺨــﻂ اﻟﺨﺎرﺟــﻰ ﻟﻠﻮﺟﻪ و ﺑﺪون ﺗﻮﻗــﻒ واﻟﻤﻔﺎﺟــﺄة ﻧﺠــﺪ ﺗﻌﺒﻴــﺮ ﻗــﻮى ﻟــﺮوح .اﻟﺸــﺨﺺ إﻧﻪ ﻃﺎﻗﺔ إﻳﺠﺎﺑﻴﺔ ﺗﺆﺛﺮ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻣﻦ ﻳﺤﻈﻰ ﺑﻤﻘﺎﺑﻠﺘﻪ.
دﻛﺘﻮر ﻋﺒﺪاﻟﻐﻔﺎر ﺷﺪﻳﺪ ١١ﻳﻨﺎﻳﺮ ٢٢٠٢
George Bahgory 90 Years of Giving By Fatenn Mostafa-Kanafani
ﻋﺒﺪ ﺍﻟﻐﻨﻲ ﺃﺑﻮ ﺍﻟﻌﻨﻴﻦ،ﺃﺭﻭﻉ ﺭﺳﺎﻡ ﺑﻮﺭﺗﺮﻳﻪ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻟﻢ
In 2019, George Bahgory established The George Bahgory Museum. Set in a large apartment in downtown
ﻋﺒﺪ ﺍﻟﺤﻠﻴﻢ ﺣﺎﻓﻆ، ﻭﺃﻧﺎ ﺃﻏﻨﻲ ﻟﻚ....ﺃﻧﺖ ﺗﺮﺳﻢ
Cairo, the museum boasts hundreds of paintings dating from the early 1950s; sculptures in different media from bronze
ﺻﻼﺡ ﭼﺎﻫﻴﻦ،ﺍﺭﺳﻢ ﻟﻲ ﺃﻡ ﻛﻠﺜﻮﻡ
to stone; a room filled with carnets de voyage, hand paint-
ﺻﻼﺡ ﻋﺒﺪ ﺍﻟﺼﺒﻮﺭ،ﻗﺼﻴﺪﺓ ﺃﺟﻤﻞ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺸﻌﺮ
ed carpets, and thousands of drawings. It is a never-ending labyrinth where each piece narrates a piece of our history.
ﺑﻠﻨﺪ ﺍﻟﺤﻴﺪﺭﻱ،ﺇﻧﻪ ﻳﺮﺳﻢ ﺑﺨﻴﻮﻁ ﺍﻟﺸﻌﺮ
Just like George, the museum is a work of art. But who is the man behind the museum? My research then began.
ﺇﺩﻭﺍﺭﺩ ﺍﻟﺨﺮﺍﻁ، ﻻ ﻋﻨﺪ ﻏﻴﺮﻙ،ﻣﻮﺳﻴﻘﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﺠﻤﻠﺔ ﻋﻨﺪﻙ ﺃﻧﺖ ﻋﺒﺪ ﺍﻟﻐﻨﻲ ﺃﺑﻮ ﺍﻟﻌﻨﻴﻦ،ﺃﺭﻭﻉ ﺭﺳﺎﻡ ﺑﻮﺭﺗﺮﻳﻪ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻟﻢ
Never have I been able to find, collect, and gather as much material for any Egyptian artist as for George Bahgory.
ﺍﻟﺒﻴﺎﺗﻲ، ﻓﺘﺤﻮﻟﺖ ﺍﻟﻔﺮﺷﺎﺓ ﻓﻲ ﻳﺪﻱ ﺇﻟﻲ ﻭﺗﺮ،ﻏﻤﺮﺗﻨﻲ ﺑﺎﻷﺻﻔﺮ ﺍﻟﺪﺍﻓﺊ
No other Egyptian artist seems to have triggered as much interest in his life and work as Bahgory has. It is both mindboggling and revelatory. I feel privileged to be surrounded by close to one hundred items: books, monographs, exhibition catalogues, pictures, photographs, black and white and in colors, alone or with other people, posters, calendars even. It is heavy and dusty. So, where does one start? And more importantly, what is there to add?
ً » ﻓﻨﺎﻥ ﻳﺼﺒﺢ .« ﻋﺎﻟﻤﻴﺎ ﻛﻠﻤﺎ ﺫﺍﺩﺕ ﻣﺤﻠﻴﺘﻪ ﻧﺠﻴﺐ ﻣﺤﻔﻮﻅ
George Bahgory is widely known as a cartoonist, but he is much more. A prolific multimedia artist, Bahgory is a paint-
One of the sketchbooks titled “The Forbidden Draw-
er, sculptor, poet, and writer. His media is as diverse: Sculptures, paintings, sketches, lithographs, tapestry, collage, draw-
ings” is a rich and valuable documentary where Bahgory nar-
ings; using oil, watercolor, coffee, china ink, pen, and pencil; on canvas, paper, filter coffee, clay, bronze, stone. Bahgory was
rates his life as a student in the Faculty of Fine Arts in Cairo
dubbed “The Picasso of Egypt,” “Picasso of the Arabs,” “The Painter Between Two Riverbanks,” “The Master,” “A Unique
(1951-55). He drew his colleagues, professors, and future
Phenomenon,” “The Rebel,” and “The Beethoven of Fine Arts.” As someone who claims to have been born twice, the first
bosses, like his mentor Hussein Bicar, modernist painters
time in his native Egypt on 13 December 1932 and the second time [une deuxième naissance] in his adoptive France on 25
Ahmed Sabry, Abdel Hady el-Gazzar, el-Seginy, and journal-
August 1969, George Bahgory is bold, frank, and never hesitates to fight for free speech. He was in trouble with the gov-
ist Ihsan Abdel Quddous. The latter eventually hired the then
ernment of former presidents Gamal Abdel Nasser and Anouar el-Sadat. He appreciates all women, repeated senior year
twenty-two-year-old Bahgory and launched his two-decade
in high school three times (1949, 1950, 1951), prefers to draw upside down, and is still active to this day, painting, touring
career as a caricaturist of satire responsible for the weekly
exhibitions, socializing at the young age of 90.
cover of Rose al-Yusuf magazine. At the time, Bahgory’s father, Abdel Messih, urged George “to stop scribbling, forget
I go through the thousands of pages I am blessed to have and discover many facets unknown to the public. For ex-
about art, and to study medicine instead” [Balash Shaghba-
ample, Bahgory has over 1,000 sketchbooks or “carnets de voyage,” as he likes to call them, stored in his atelier. In there,
ta! Sibak min al-fann, wa idriss al-Teb!] But Bahgory didn’t
you can meet his humble family: his mother Elisse, his father Abdel Messih, his older brother Johnny, his sister Evelyne, his
bulge, poised to make a pioneering career in satirizing Egyp-
wife Nitokriss, and the rest of his private tribe from cousins and nieces to next-door neighbors. Another example is that
tian politicians, ridiculing government decisions, narrating
his name Bahgory derives from “Bahgora,” the village where he was born next to Luxor in Upper Egypt. He also writes his
daily life and ordinary people’s hardships for the only reason
names in different ways. George. Georges. Bahgory. Bahgoury. al-Bahgory. Or is it us who do? It doesn’t matter. George
to tell it like it is. According to Bahgory, it was a period of
Bahgory is unique.
press vibrancy, during which Egyptians appreciated an ironic sense of humor and supported fierce free speech. Caricature was a flourishing art form thanks to the renowned “creative block” consisting of Salah Jahin, Ragai’e, El-Selmi, Bahgat, Hegazi, el-Labbad, amongst others. But soon enough, censorship had its toll on the “industry,” and Bahgory’s drawings began to attract if not bother Egypt’s leaders’ attention, unhappy to be mocked on the cover of the most widely distributed magazines in the Arab world. Nasser was poked by his immense nose and authoritarian persona, while Sadat was cornered when he envisioned the Camp David Accord. In 1967, the year of the Hazimah, artists were threatened, and the “fall of caricature” art [Soukout al-Karikatiruiyya] in Egypt led many to choose exile over compromising on their ideals and values. Once Bahgory felt the artist’s right to free ﺳﻴﺪ ﺣﺠﺎﺏ،ﺷﺠﺮﺓ ﺣﺰﻥ ﺇﻧﺴﺎﻧﻲ Left: George Bahgory’s mother. Right: Victoria Attalla, Nitokriss’s mother, 1961.
brush was jeopardized, he decided to leave for France and began a new and, at first, difficult life in Paris.
George Bahgory | Nasser | Oil on wood | 80 x 80 cm | Signed
As I turn the pages, I land on Bahgory’s rendering of or “d’après” Mahmoud Said’s La fille en bleu! Saïd’s is dated 1927. Bahgory’s is undated and is mesmerizing. Her cheeks, eyes, and breasts are depicted the Bahgorian way, meaning deformed, exaggerated, disproportionate. It’s a mix of cubism and surrealism, and much more. La fille en bleu by Mahmoud Saïd hangs at the Museum of Modern Art in Cairo; Bahgory’s? In a private collection. Like many of his paintings, this one too was snatched. If you ask him, he wouldn’t know either. Then I stumble on a 1954 painting depicting a young boy standing. For a split second, the painting reminds us of the Syrian modernist painter Louay Kayali (1934-78). A second later, it reminds us of Picasso. But it is neither Kayali nor Picasso. It is Bahgory depicting a skinny teenage boy with his head facing down, wearing a yellow/orange open shirt. We are not sure who the boy is. It doesn’t really matter. A piece of undergarment attracts my attention. It is a tiny bit of a white fanella-that one garment every Egyptian mother swears by. “Wear your fanella!” “Are you wearing a fanella?” “Don’t forget your fanella!” Instructions we give to our kids in winter, sometimes in summer too, no matter how old the kids are. But in this painting, the fanella is one of those elements that underline utter poverty. A sense of despair, maybe. And that is probably why the boy’s head is titled, his eyes looking down, somewhere lost in his hardships.
ﻻ ﺃﻧﺴﻰ ﻋﻴﻮﻥ ﺍﻷﻃﻔﺎﻝ ﻓﻲ ﺭﺳﻮﻣﻪ ﺇﺣﺴﺎﻥ ﻋﺒﺪ ﺍﻟﻘﺪﻭﺱ George Baghory, Les enfants des rues, Part of graduation project, 1954. Private collection. Louay Kayali | Portrait of a Boy, 1962. Image: Bonhams, 2015. Picasso | Garçon à la Pipe, 1905.
George Baghory and his wife Nitokriss
Ever since his graduation project titled “Les Enfants des rues” [Street Children] in 1955, Bahgory has never ceased painting everyday life and painting every day throughout his life. To me, his work revolves around three pillars: Fann [Art], Hayah [Life], and Hurriyah [Freedom], never one taking over the other. Under Fann come the never-ending portrayals of “Kawakab al-Sharq,” aka Umm Kulthum. Bahgory has dissected her repeatedly, and he seems to have been infatuated by the Voice of the Arab World and “Egypt’s Fourth Pyramid.” While watching her sing on TV, Bahgory explains, “the sound and the picture win over my drawings. There are endless words in my heart for Umm Kulthum,” stressing how the singer’s voice captivated him. Alas, these feelings were not reciprocated. In one meeting in the late 1950s, “[Umm Kulthum] said hello to everyone except me. She didn’t give me any attention because I made cartoons about her and Nasser,” says Bahgory during his interview with Lesley Lababidi in April 2013 for the book Bahgory Legacy printed by Obélisques Publishing. In another interview in 2015, Bahgory explains: “I never paint Um Kulthum. I paint the voice of Umm Kulthum and al-Watan [Homeland] in Um Kulthum.” [Lam ‘arssem Kawkab al-Sharq, wa lakeny rassamt al-kawkab fi al-sharq], dedicating a full book about his relationship to the singing star in 2015: Iconat Um-Kul-
thum, Um Kulthum and Georges Bahgory. In Fann still, you will find Bahgory’s ‘à la’ or the ‘d’après’ paintings inspired by Arab pioneers like Mahmoud Saïd (e.g., Banat Bahari), El-Gazzar (e.g., The Green Man, 1951 and Farah Zeleikha, 1948), Ahmed Sabri (Bicar Playing the Oud, 1934) or world masters like Da Vinci, Modigliani, Van Gogh (e.g., Sunflowers, 1889), Picasso (Self-Portrait, 1906 or Portrait
of Olga in an Armchair, 1918) and Gauguin (Arearea, 1892). But in Fann, everyday music, street, and orchestra musicians, popular instruments (e.g., Tabla, Oud, even cello and violin), love songs, and belly-dancers are an integral part of the Egyptian psyche, joie de vivre, and narrative, and represent a large bulk of Bahgory’s work. In Hayah, Bahgory draws and paints the vegetable and bread sellers, Arousset el-Moulid (sugar dolls), Tawla (backgammon) players, men praying in a mosque, Muslim and Coptic feasts and celebrations such as Kahk al-Eid, al-Makwagi (the iron man), the theatre of the street as he calls it [théâtre de la rue], faces and more faces, and the Kahwa, that fundamental café gathering spot in the Arab world. All this and more because “painting is drama,” [la peinture, c’est le drame, 2012] and Egypt is his “mother” (2012). Khairy Shalaby wrote in one of the exhibition catalogs, [Masryetoo fi Keptiyetoo al-Assi-
la]. How beautiful! “His Egyptianness lies in his authentic ‘Coptiness.’ As you turn the pages, you might find some of your
ﻛﻴﻒ ﺗﺮی ﻣﺎ ﻻ ﻳﺮﻯ ﺃﺣﻤﺪ ﻋﺒﺪ ﺍﻟﻤﻌﻄﻲ ﺣﺠﺎﺯﻱ
friends, acquaintances, if not yourself, for who of us hasn’t been drawn with a single continuous line by Bahgory? In 2013, Bahgory drew me over a coffee one morning with his spontaneous manner. Although I look like Cruella De Vil, I cherish that drawing. It hangs in my office.
Abdel Hadi El-Gazzar | Farah Zeleikha, 1948. George Bahgory | Gazzar’s Farah Zeleikha, 2013.
In Hurriyah, Bahgory’s brave depictions of important moments in our history and causes close to his heart take
I turn more pages. Is it Seif? Perhaps Adham? Remember that Adham Wanly was an early caricaturist. Bahgory is
centerpiece: Palestine, the Woman Question, the Arab Spring, and the whole lot on Arab politicians and Middle Eastern
them all, yet he is no one but himself. He writes, oh, he writes. There are at least ten books authored by Bahgory where he
geopolitics. It seems that no politician escaped Bahgory’s fingers. Look for any, and you will find many. Arafat, Bashar, etc.
either details his life, pours his heart out, reveals many secrets from Bahgora to Paris, or invents a fiction, usually based on
Here is Egypt’s current president too. Abdel Fatah Elsisi. Bahgory re-invents, immortalizes, celebrates, critiques, honors our
his many lives. For example, L’icône de Faltuss (2006), Bahgar en exil (2010) and Zikrayyat al-Gawafa (2016). That’s why there
trajectory. In addition to these influential political figures, Bahgory painted everyone who shaped modern Egypt, from Na-
is no need for him to really speak. His hands take over, while his lips are closed.
guib Mahfouz to Inji Efflatoun. From Abdel Halim Hafez to Youssef Idriss and Tawfik al-Hakim. From next-door Abdalla, Bahgory didn’t leave any stone unturned. With so much to say, it is not surprising that the word “icon” pops up a million times.
Painters are usually categorized. They also have stages or periods. George somehow escapes because he practices
“An Egyptian Icon,” “The Icons of Bahgory,” “Les icônes des ruelles,” “Les icônes des visages humains.” Icona Shaabeyyah
and produces works that fluidly move from one category or period back to another. There is a sort of épuisement du thème.
(2005), Iconat al-Fann (2000), Iconat al-Jassad (2010), Iconat Paris. The list goes on, with many titles in French, a language
In other words, Bahgory expends themes, repeating the same subject over and over, each time adding a new element or
Bahgory masters. Bahgory says it all without ever imposing. So, is there anything Bahgory hasn’t said yet? Probably not.
showing a different perspective while using new color palettes or media. It reminds me of what he said: “I start from the
Thousands and thousands of images pass through my fingers. It’s infinite. A feast to the eye. A blessing to our soul. He is
end so that I reach the beginning,” establishing a signature style that no two people would miss. Bahgory is instantly recog-
omnipresent. In our homes, museums, private institutions, cafes, restaurants, Nile boats, ici et ailleurs [Here and There],
nizable, even to the untrained eye. This probably explains why the Egyptian State awarded him the Prix d’État d’Excellence
you will find his work in the most unexpected places. Tiny, small, big, immense, humongous. And you might meet him too.
dans les arts in 2006. There is no key in George Bahgory’s work. Only a sense of rush. He always seems to be in a hurry, as
Wearing a hat (the French beret), smoking a pipe, in his galabeya, or pants and shirts. He fits wherever he goes, no matter
though he is trying to capture the moment, live that instant, and not miss the smile, the crowd, the music, the people, his
what he wears.
people, our people.
How beautiful life is without a key!
ﻏﺎﻟﻲ ﺷﻜﺮﻱ، ﻟﻜﻨﻪ ﻳﻘﻮﻝ ﺭﺃﻳﻪ ﻓﻴﻚ،ﺇﻧﻪ ﻻ ﻳﺮﺳﻤﻚ
ﺟــﻮﺭﺝ ﺍﻟﺒﻬﺠــﻮﺭﻯ ) ٩٠ﻋﺎﻣــﺎ( ﻭﺍﺣــﺪ ﻣــﻦ ﺍﻫــﻢ ﻓﻨﺎﻧــﻲ ﻣﺼــﺮ ﻭﺍﻟﻮﻃــﻦ ﺍﻟﻌﺮﺑــﻲ ﻭﺭﺳــﻮﻣﻪ ﺍﻟﺴــﺎﺣﺮﺓ ﺍﻟﻤﻠﻮﻧــﺔ ﺍﻭ ﺍﻟﺘــﻲ ﺑﺎﻟﻠــﻮﻥ
Edward Kharrat wrote about George Bahgory [2010]. So did Abdel Ghaffar Shedid [2017], the
ﺍﻟﻮﺍﺣــﺪ ﻭﺍﻟﺘــﻲ ﺃﺑﺪﻋﻬــﺎ ﻃــﻮﻝ ﺳــﺒﻌﻴﻦ ﻋﺎﻣــﺎ ﺗﻌــﺪ ﻣــﻦ ﺍﻫــﻢ ﻟﻮﺣــﺎﺕ ﻭﺍﻟﺒﻮﻣــﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﻔــﻦ ﻋﻠــﻰ ﻣﺴــﺘﻮﻯ ﺍﻟﻔﻨــﻮﻥ ﺍﻟﺠﻤﻴﻠــﺔ ﻓــﻲ
French cartoonist Plantu [2012], Ahmed Megahed [2021], scholars like Nadia Radwan, Noura
ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻟــﻢ ..ﻭﻗــﺪ ﺍﻣﺘﺰﺟــﺖ ﺭﺳــﻮﻣﻪ ﺍﻟﻜﺎﺭﻳﻜﺎﺗﻴﺮﻳــﺔ ﺍﻟﺮﺍﺋﻌــﺔ ﻓــﻲ ﺭﻳﺸــﺘﻪ ﺍﻟﺜﺮﻳــﺔ ﺍﻟﺘــﻲ ﺻــﻮﺭ ﻓﻴﻬــﺎ ﻣﺼــﺮ ﺣﺒﻴﺒﺘــﻪ ﻭﻛﻞ ﻭﺟــﻮه ﻣﺤﺒﻴﻪ.
Moualla, artists like Adel El Siwi, ministers of culture like Tharwat Okasha [al-Infigar al-Mobdi’ee],
ﺟــﻮﺭﺝ ﻫــﻮ ﺑﻴﻜﺎﺳــﻮ ﺍﻟﻌــﺮﺏ ﻭﺍﻋﻤﺎﻟــﻪ ﻋﻼﻣــﺔ ﻓﺎﺭﻗــﻪ ﻟﺮﺍﺋــﺪ ﻣــﻦ ﺍﻟــﺮﻭﺍﺩ ﺍﻟﻌﻈــﺎﻡ ﻟﻠﻔــﻦ ﺍﻟﺘﺸــﻜﻴﻠﻲ ﺍﻟﻤﺼــﺮﻱ ﻭﻗــﺪ ﺍﺳــﻌﺪﻧﺎ
to name a few.
ﺍﻟﺤــﻆ ﺍﻥ ﻧﻌﻴــﺶ ﻭﻧﻠﺘﻘــﻰ ﺑﺎﻟﻬﺠــﻮﺭﻱ ﺫﻟــﻚ ﺍﻟﻔﻨــﺎﻥ ﻭﺍﻹﻧﺴــﺎﻥ ﺍﻷﺻﻴــﻞ ﺍﻟﺮﺍﺋــﻊ.
ﻋﺼﻤﺖ ﺩﺍﻭﺳﺘﺎﺷﻰ ٢٠٢٢/٢/١٤ ﺍﻹﺳﻜﻨﺪﺭﻳﺔ
ﻋﺒﻘﺮﻳــﺔ ﻣﺼﺮﻳــﺔ ﺧﺎﻟﺼــﺔ ،ﻃﺎﻗــﺔ ﺍﺑــﺪﺍﻉ ﻭﺍﻧﺴــﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﻳﺼﻌــﺐ ﺗﻜﺮﺍﺭﻫــﺎ .ﻟــﻢ ﻳﺘﺨــﻞ ﺍﻟﺒﻬﺠــﻮﺭﻱ ﻳﻮﻣـ ًـﺎ ﻋــﻦ ﺷــﻐﻔﻪ ﻭﺍﻧﺪﻫﺎﺷــﻪ ﺍﻟﻔﻨﺎﻥ ...ﺍﻟﺼﺪﻳﻖ ....ﺟﻮﺭﺝ ﺍﻟﺒﻬﺠﻮﺭﻯ
ﻛﻄﻔــﻞ ﺑﺄﺷــﻜﺎﻝ ﺍﻟﺒﺸــﺮ ﻭﺍﻷﺷــﻴﺎﺀ ﻭﺍﻷﻣﺎﻛــﻦ ﻭﻻ ﻋــﻦ ﻣﺤﺎﻭﻟــﺔ ﺍﻟﻨﻔــﺎﺫ ﺇﻟــﻰ ﻫﻮﻳــﺔ ﻭﻋﻤــﻖ ﻣــﺎ ﻳــﺮﺍه .ﻳﺒــﺪﻭ ﻟــﻲ ﺃﻥ ﺣﺮﻛــﺔ ﻳــﺪه
ﺭﺳﻮﻣﺎﺗﻚ ﻣﻸﺕ ﺍﻟﺪﻧﻴﺎ ﺑﻬﺠﺔ ،ﻭﻛﺎﻧﺖ ﻋﺒﺎﺭﺓ ﻋﻦ ﺳﻴﻤﻔﻮﻧﻴﺔ ﺭﺍﺋﻌﺔ ﺗﺘﻐﻨﻲ ﺑﻬﺎ ﺍﻻﺟﻴﺎﻝ ،ﺭﺳﻮﻣﺎﺗﻚ ﻛﺸﺨﺼﻴﺘﻚ ﻣﻠﻴﺌﺔ
ﺑﺨﻄﻮﻃﻬــﺎ ﺍﻟﻤﺘﻮﺍﺻﻠــﺔ ﻓــﻮﻕ ﺍﻟﺴــﻄﺢ ﻗــﺪ ﺗﺤﻮﻟــﺖ ﺇﻟــﻰ ﺻﻴﻐــﺔ ﻳﻮﻣﻴــﺔ ﻟﻠﻮﺟــﻮﺩ ﻭﺣﻴــﺎﺓ ﻣﻜﺘﻤﻠــﺔ .ﻭﻓــﻲ ﺃﻳﻘﻮﻧــﺔ ﻓﻠﺘــﺲ
ﺑﺎﻟﺒﻬﺠﺔ ﻭﺍﻟﺘﻔﺎﺋﻞ ﻭﺣﺐ ﺍﻟﻨﺎﺱ ،ﺟﻮﺭﺝ ﺍﻟﺒﻬﺠﻮﺭﻯ ﺻﺎﺣﺐ ﺃﺟﻤﻞ ﺿﺤﻜﻪ ﻭﺻﺎﺣﺐ ﺍﻃﻴﺐ ﻗﻠﺐ ،ﺟﻮﺭﺝ ﺍﻟﺒﻬﺠﻮﺭﻯ ﻟﻦ ﻳﺘﻜﺮﺭ،
ﺗﻌﺮﻓــﺖ ﻋﻠﻴــﻪ ﻛﺤــﺎﺀ ﻣﺼــﺮﻱ ﻧــﺎﺩﺭ.
ﻭﺳﻮﻑ ﻳﻈﻞ ﻓﻲ ﻭﺟﺪﺍﻧﻨﺎ ،ﺃﻋﻤﺎﻟﻚ ﺗﺰﺩﺍﺩ ﺟﻤﺎﻝ ﻭﺗﺄﻟﻖ ﻣﻊ ﻣﺮﻭﺭ ﺍﻟﺰﻣﻦ .ﺟﻮﺭﺝ ﺍﻟﺒﻬﺠﻮﺭﻯ ﻫﺮﻡ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻫﺮﺍﻣﺎﺕ ﻣﺼﺮ.
ﻓــﻲ ﻛﻞ ﺷــﺊ ﻳﺸــﻜﻠﻪ ﺍﻟﺒﻬﺠــﻮﺭﻱ ﺑﻴﺪﻳــﻪ ﻫﻨــﺎﻙ ﺩﺍﺋﻤـ ًـﺎ ﺣﻴﻮﻳــﺔ ﻭﻃﺰﺍﺟــﺔ ﻣــﺎ ﻭﻛﺄﻧﻬــﺎ ﻭﻣﻀــﺔ ﺣﻴــﺎﺓ ﺧﺎﺻــﺔ ﻭﺇﺷــﺮﺍﻕ ﻣﺘﺠــﺪﺩ
ﻣﻦ ﺃﺟﻤﻞ ﺍﻟﻤﺘﺎﺣﻒ ﻓﻲ ﻣﺼﺮ ﻫﻮ ﻣﺘﺤﻒ ﺟﻮﺭﺝ ﺍﻟﺒﻬﺠﻮﺭﻯ ﻭﺳﻮﻑ ﻳﻜﻮﻥ ﺍﻟﻤﺰﺍﺭ ﺍﻻﻭﻝ ﺑﺎﻟﻨﺴﺒﺔ ﻟﻠﻤﺼﺮﻳﻴﻦ ﻭﺍﻻﺟﺎﻧﺐ.
ﻟﺮﻭﺣــﻪ ﺍﻟﺮﺍﺋﻌــﺔ.
ﻋﻠﻲ ﺣﺴﻦ ٢٠٢٢/٢/١٤
ﻋﺎﺩﻝ ﺍﻟﺴﻴﻮﻱ ١١ﻳﻨﺎﻳﺮ ٢٠٢٢
The
George Bahgory Museum
George Bahgory Oil and collage on canvas 90 x 110 cm Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 100 x 100 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 115 x 90 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Sofia | Oil and collage on canvas | 115 x 89 cm | Signed and dated 2000
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 145 x 87 cm | Signed and dated 1980
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 114 x 87 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 90 x 71 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 130 x 160 cm | Signed and dated 1985
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 160 x 130 cm | Signed and dated 1985
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 90 x 72 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 144 x 112 cm | Signed and dated 1980
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 112 x 145 cm | Signed and dated 1980
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 115 x 88 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 145 x 112 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and wood | 95 x 65 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 160 x 130 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on canvas | 92 x 65 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 65 x 50 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 160 x 128 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 65 x 50 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 130 x 160 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 130 x 169 cm | Signed and dated 1987
George Bahgory Oil and collage on canvas 90 x 64 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 60 x 60 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 81 x 54 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 80 x 55 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 205 x 205 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 103 x 83 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 71 x 59 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 71 x 59 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 145 x 112 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 200 x 152 cm | Signed and dated 1985
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 90 x 71 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 100 x 100 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on canvas | 117 x 89 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 93 x 73 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 60 x 60 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 63 x 52 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 115 x 90 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 100 x 100cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 90 x 70 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 90 x 70 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 87 x 60 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on carpet | 185 x 100 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on wood | 67 x 38 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on canvas | 61 x 46 cm | Signed and dated 1955
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 178 x 198 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 200 x 184 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 250 x 212 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on carpet | 150 x 153 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on canvas | 70 x 60 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 80 x 80 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on wood | 64 x 49 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on wood | 85 x 85 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 80 x 80 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 160 x 130 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 94 x 27 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 162 x 130 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on canvas | 100 x 100 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 100 x 100 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on canvas | 116 x 90 cm | Signed
George Bahgory Oil and collage on canvas 60 x 60 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on canvas | 97 x 98 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on canvas | 70 x 90 cm | Signed
George Bahgory Oil on wood | 181 x 120 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on canvas | 128 x 128 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on wood 120 x 180 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on wood 120 x 180 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on canvas | 112 x 77 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on canvas | 113 x 87 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 110 x 110 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Mixed media on paper | 75 x 62 cm | Signed
George Bahgory Oil and collage on canvas 92 x 73 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 120 x 120 cm
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 100 x 100 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 116 x 89 cm | Signed and dated 1980
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas 230 x 145 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on canvas | 100 x 100 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on canvas | 100 x 100 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 195 x 195 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on canvas | 150 x 150 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on canvas | 97 x 97 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on canvas | 150 x 88 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 110 x 80 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on wood | 180 x 120 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 80 x 80 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on canvas | 43 x 33 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on canvas | 55 x 45 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 100 x 100 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 80 x 80 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 90 x 72 cm | Signed and dated 2010
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 63 x 53 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on canvas | 80 x 80 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on canvas | 90 x 70 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on canvas | 73 x 54 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on canvas | 73 x 60 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on wood | 40 x 32 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on wood | 117 x 115 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil and collage on wood | 150 x 118 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Mixed media on paper | 64 x 44 cm | Signed
George Bahgory | Oil on canvas | 80 x 63 cm | Signed and dated 1984
ﻧﻴﺘﻮ ،ﺷﺮﻳﻜﺔ ﺍﻟﻌﻤﺮ
Nito, George’s Muse
ﻋﺎﻣــﺎ .ﻓــﻲ ٣٠ﺃﻏﺴــﻄﺲ ،١٩٥٩ﻗﺎﻣــﻮﺍ ﺑﺮﺑــﻂ ﺍﻟﻌﻘــﺪﺓ ﻓــﻲ ﻣﻨــﺰﻝ ﺍﻟﻌــﺮﻭﺱ ﺑﺎﻟﺰﻳﺘــﻮﻥ ﺑﺎﻟﻘﺎﻫــﺮﺓ .ﻻ ﻳﻨﻔﺼــﻼﻥ ﻷﻥ ﻧﻴﺘﻮﻛﺮﻳــﺲ ﻭﺟــﻮﺭﺝ ﻣﺘﺰﻭﺟــﺎﻥ ﻣﻨــﺬ ً ٦٥ ﺯﻭﺍﺟﻬﻤــﺎ ﻫــﻮ ﺃﻛﺜــﺮ ﻣــﻦ ﺗﺤﺎﻟــﻒ ﻛــﺰﻭﺝ ﻭﺯﻭﺟــﺔ .ﺃﺳــﺲ ﺟــﻮﺭﺝ ﺑﻬﺠــﻮﺭﻱ ﻧﻔﺴــﻪ ﻛﻮﺍﺣــﺪ ﻣــﻦ ﺃﻛﺜــﺮ ﺍﻟﻔﻨﺎﻧﻴــﻦ ﺗﺄﺛﻴـ ً ـﺮﺍ ﻓــﻲ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻟــﻢ ﺍﻟﻌﺮﺑــﻲ ﻭﺟﻌــﻞ ﻧﻴﺘﻮﻛﺮﻳــﺲ، ﺗﺨﺮﺟــﺖ ﻧﻴﺘﻮﻛﺮﻳــﺲ ﻛﺎﻣــﻞ ﺟــﻮﺩﺓ ) ،(١٩٣٢ﺍﻟﻤﻌﺮﻭﻓــﺔ ﺑﺎﺳــﻢ ﻧﻴﺘــﻮ ،ﻣــﻦ ﻛﻠﻴــﺔ ﺍﻟﻔﻨــﻮﻥ ﺍﻟﺠﻤﻴﻠــﺔ ﺑﺎﻟﻘﺎﻫــﺮﺓ ﻋــﺎﻡ ﻣﻠﻬﻤﺘــﻪ ،ﻧﻤﻮﺫﺟـ ًـﺎ ﻟﻠﻌﺪﻳــﺪ ﻣــﻦ ﻟﻮﺣﺎﺗــﻪّ . ،١٩٥٩ﻭﻋﻤﻠــﺖ ﻛﻤﻬﻨﺪﺳــﻪ ﺗﺼﻤﻴــﻢ ﺩﺍﺧﻠــﻲ ﻓــﻲ ﺍﻟﺘﻠﻔﺰﻳــﻮﻥ ﺍﻟﻤﺼــﺮﻱ ﺍﻟﻘﻮﻣــﻲ .ﻓــﻲ ﺍﻟﻨﻬﺎﻳــﺔ ،ﻭﺻﻠــﺖ ﺇﻟــﻰ ﻣﻨﺼــﺐ ﻭﻛﻴــﻞ ﻭﺯﺍﺭﺓ. ﺑﺼﻔﺘﻬــﺎ ﺭﺳــﺎﻣﺔ ﻭﻧﺤﺎﺗــﺔ ﺑﺎﺭﻋــﺔ ،ﺍﻗﺎﻣــﺖ ﻣﻌﺮﺿﻬــﺎ ﺍﻟﺨــﺎﺹ ﺍﻻﻭﻝ ﺑﺎﻻﺷــﺘﺮﺍﻙ ﻣــﻊ ﺟــﻮﺭﺝ ١٩٦٩ﺑﻨــﺎﺩﻱ ﺍﻟﺠﺰﻳــﺮﺓ ،ﻭﻣﻌــﺮﺽ ﻟﻠﻨﺴــﺎﺀ ﻓــﻲ ﻗﺎﻋــﺔ ﻣﺤﺒــﻲ ﺍﻟﻔﻨــﻮﻥ ﺍﻟﺠﻤﻴﻠــﺔ ،ﻭﻣﻌــﺮﺽ ﻣﺸــﺘﺮﻙ ﻓــﻲ ﻓﺮﻧﺴــﺎ ﻣــﻊ ﺟــﻮﺭﺝ .ﻭﻣﻌــﺮﺽ ﻓــﻲ ﻣﺮﻛــﺰ ﺍﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓــﻲ ﺗﺸــﻴﻜﻮ ﺳــﻠﻮﻓﺎﻛﻴﺎ ﺑﺎﻟﻘﺎﻫــﺮﺓ ﻣــﻊ ﺟــﻮﺭﺝ ﻓــﻲ .١٩٧٢ ﻣﺮﺗﺎﺣــﺎ ﻟﻠﻌــﺮﺽ ﺃﻭ ﺍﻟﺘﻮﺍﺟــﺪ ﺍﺧﺘــﺎﺭﺕ ﻧﻴﺘﻮﻛﺮﻳــﺲ ﺃﻥ ﺗﺘﺨــﺬ ﻭﺭﺍﺀ ﺍﻟﻜﻮﺍﻟﻴــﺲ ﻟﺘﻜــﺮﺱ ﺣﻴﺎﺗﻬــﺎ ﻟﺪﻋــﻢ ﺯﻭﺟﻬــﺎ ﻋﻠــﻰ ﺣﺴــﺎﺏ ﺣﻴﺎﺗﻬــﺎ ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﻴــﺔ ﻛﻔﻨﺎﻧــﺔ .ﻟــﻢ ﺗﻜــﻦ ﻧﻴﺘــﻮ ً ـﺰﺀﺍ ﻻ ﻳﺘﺠــﺰﺃ ﻣــﻦ ﻧﺠــﺎﺡ ﺑﻬﺠــﻮﺭﻱ ،ﻭﺇﺩﺍﺭﺓ ﻣﺮﺍﺳــﻼﺗﻪ ،ﻭﺍﻻﺣﺘﻔــﺎﻅ ﺑﺴــﺠﻼﺕ ﻟﻠﻮﺣﺎﺗــﻪ ،ﻭﺍﻻﺗﺼــﺎﻝ ﺑﺨﺒــﺮﺍﺀ ﻓــﻲ ﺩﺍﺋــﺮﺓ ﺍﻟﻀــﻮﺀ .ﻭﺑـ ً ـﺪﻻ ﻣــﻦ ﺫﻟــﻚ ،ﻛﺎﻧــﺖ ﺟـ ً ﺍﻟﻤﻌــﺎﺭﺽ ﻟﻠﺤﻔــﺎﻅ ﻋﻠــﻰ ﻣﺴــﻴﺮﺗﻪ ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﻴــﺔ ﻣﺴــﺘﻤﺮﺓ .ﻭﻟﻌــﻞ ﺃﻛﺒــﺮ ﻣﺴــﺎﻫﻤﺎﺗﻬﺎ ﻫــﻲ ﺟﻬﻮﺩﻫــﺎ ﺍﻟﺤﺜﻴﺜــﺔ ﻹﻧﺸــﺎﺀ ﻣﺘﺤــﻒ ﺟــﻮﺭﺝ ﺑﻬﺠــﻮﺭﻱ ﻓــﻲ ﻭﺳــﻂ ﺍﻟﻘﺎﻫــﺮﺓ. ﻧﻴﺘــﻮ ﻫــﻲ ﻭﺍﺣــﺪﺓ ﻣــﻦ ﻫــﺆﻻﺀ ﺍﻟﻨﺴــﺎﺀ ﺍﻟﻤﺒﺪﻋــﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﻠﻮﺍﺗــﻲ ﺗﻐﺎﺿﻴــﺖ ﻋــﻦ ﻋﻤﻠﻬــﻦ ﺃﻭ ﻃﻐــﺖ ﺷــﻬﺮﺓ ﺃﺯﻭﺍﺟﻬــﻦ ﻋﻠﻴﻬــﻦ .ﻭﻟﻜــﻦ ﻓــﻲ ﺣﺎﻟــﺔ ﻧﻴﺘــﻮ ،ﻛﺎﻥ ﺍﺧﺘﻴﺎﺭﻫــﺎ ﺃﻥ ُﻳﻨﻈــﺮ ﺇﻟﻴﻬــﺎ ﻋﻠــﻰ ﺃﻧﻬــﺎ ﺯﻭﺟــﺔ ﻓﻨــﺎﻥ ﻣﺸــﻬﻮﺭ ،ﻣــﻊ ﺇﻋﻄــﺎﺀ ﺍﻷﻭﻟﻮﻳــﺔ ﻟﻨﺠــﺎﺡ ﺯﻭﺟﻬــﺎ ﻋﻠــﻰ ﺣﻴﺎﺗﻬــﺎ ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﻴــﺔ. ﺍﻟﻴﻮﻡ ،ﻧﺮﻳﺪ ﺃﻥ ﻧﺤﺘﻔﻞ ﺑـﻨﻴﺘﻮ ﻛﺰﻭﺟﺔ ﻭﺍﺑﻨﺔ ﻭﺃﺧﺖ ﻭﻋﻤﺔ ﻭﺃﻫﻢ ﺭﻓﻴﻖ ﻟﺠﻮﺭﺝ ﺑﻬﺠﻮﺭﻱ.
By Fatenn Mostafa-Kanafani Nitokriss and George have been married for 65 years. On 30 August 1959, they tied the knot at the bride’s house in Zeitoun in Cairo. Inseparable since their marriage is more than an alliance as husband and wife. George Bahgory established himself as one of the most influential artists in the Arab world and made Nitokriss, his muse, serve as the model for many of his paintings. A graduate of Cairo’s Fine Arts School in 1959, Nitokriss Kamel Gouda (1932), known as Nito, forged a career as an interior design engineer working for the Egyptian National Television. Eventually, she reached the position of Deputy Minister. An accomplished painter and sculptor herself, she chose to take backstage to dedicate her life towards supporting her husband at the expense of her own career as an artist. Nito was not comfortable with exhibiting or being in the limelight. Instead, she was integral to Bahgory’s success, managing his correspondence, maintaining records of his paintings, and liaising with gallerists to keep his career ticking over. Her biggest contribution perhaps is her relentless effort to establish The George Bahgory Museum in Downtown Cairo. Nito is one of these creative women who have their work overlooked or eclipsed by their husbands’ fame. But in Nito’s case, it was her choice to be viewed as the wife of a celebrated artist, prioritizing her man’s success over her own career. Today, we want to celebrate Nito, the wife, daughter, sister, aunt, and George Bahgory’s most loyal companion, lover, and fan.
ﺃﻋﻤﺎﻝ ﻧﻴﺘﻮﻛﺮﻳﺲ ﻛﺎﻣﻞ ﺟﻮﺩﺓ ﻓﻲ ﻣﺘﺤﻒ ﺟﻮﺭﺝ ﺑﻬﺠﻮﺭﻱ
ﺃﻋﻤﺎﻝ ﻧﻴﺘﻮﻛﺮﻳﺲ ﻛﺎﻣﻞ ﺟﻮﺩﺓ ﻓﻲ ﻣﺘﺤﻒ ﺟﻮﺭﺝ ﺑﻬﺠﻮﺭﻱ
THE GEORGE BAHGORY MUSEUM ARTTALKS.COM EXCLUSIVE Published on the occasion of
THE GEORGE BAHGORY MUSEUM FEB 2022
TEXT Fatenn Mostafa Kanafani PHOTOGRAPHY Mohanad Hemeida Abdelrahman Ali Wael Seif El Nasr
COORDINATORS Cherine Chafik Engy El-Bouliny Wael Seif El Nasr Mohamed Hassan
GRAPHIC CONCEPT & REALIZATION Engy El-Bouliny
8 EL KAMEL MOHAMED ST. ZAMALEK. CAIRO +20227363948 info@arttalks.com www.arttalks.com
ART T AL KS. COM C AI R O2022