by Fatenn Mostafa
Man is born free, yet everywhere he is in chains wrote Jean–Jacques Rousseau in the first pages of his famous Social Contract published in 1762. These ‘chains’ are the modes of conduct prescribed as binding by a controlling authority. Government (human laws), religion (divine laws) and society (customs) form the ‘authorities’. Any act contrary would either be illegal, sinful or taboo. In The Forbidden, visual artists Yasser Nabaiel and Weaam el Masry question the state of the Arab world today, the chains of visible and invisible authorities and the constant need for a seal of approval. Yasser Nabaiel employs controversial androgynous figures to create layers of meanings to reflect on the suffocating confinement of our society. For Nabaiel, we are confined and imprisoned by innumerable chains. This suffering, visualized at times in tied hands or legs, is reminiscent of Jesus and is accentuated by the spreading of stones – acting as setbacks making the road ahead difficult and painful. In four out of five works, the artist conceals the heads indicating that we no longer exist but as bodies, as numbers or seals. In her second exhibition at ArtTalks, Weaam El Masry is showing seven new works, in which four are drawn from the unforgettable love scene culminating in murder in ‘Season of Migration to the North’ by the late Tayeb Salih, the founding father of Sudanese literature. With her signature drawing technique of absolute though nervous control of line, El Masry plays on the metaphorical meaning of the forbidden scene at the heart of the book. She questions the power of love to free society’s chains and accentuates the narrator’s important discovery that “All my life I had not chosen, had not decided. Now I am making a decision.” Perhaps that is what we all should do.
Silent agitators, Yasser Nabaiel and Weaam El Masry were inspired for this exhibition by ‘The Prophet’ written in 1923 by the late Lebanese-born Gibran Khalil Gibran and ‘Season of Migration to the North’ written in 1966 by the late Sudanese thinker Tayeb Salih. Both masterpieces offer an enduring appeal given their timelessness and relevance in finding ways to tackle these chains. Both books were praised and banned. ‘The Prophet’ was temporary banned in Egypt in 1999 and again in 2012 arguing that the drawing on the cover could be seen as representing Islam’s Prophet Mohamed. Tayeb Salih’s book on the other hand was banned for 30 years following its publication in Egypt and in Sudan and denounced as decadent and insulting of religion. Yasser Nabaiel was born in Kafr el Sheikh, Egypt, in 1970. He lives and works in Lausanne, Switzerland. He holds a BFA and an MFA in Painting and Drawing from the Fine Arts University in Cairo. He has participated in several Youth Salons and General Salons through the Ministry of Culture in Egypt, besides exhibiting in many European cities. He received the highest honors in oil painting for the 5 consecutive years at the faculty. Born in 1976, Weaam el Masry is an Egyptian Cairo-based multi-award winning visual artist. She holds a PhD in media art from the Faculty of Applied Arts, Helwan University. She is a painter who at times moves to photography, animation and installation. Her work has been exhibited at galleries, festivals, biennales and museums locally and internationally, notably the 5th Beijing International Art Biennale 2012 (China), One Minute Film & Video Festival in Aarau 2008 (Switzerland), The Egyptian Museum of Contemporary Art, and many group and solo exhibitions in Egypt and abroad. With over 25 awards and scholarships from different institutions in Egypt and abroad; for example but not limited to; the Culture Resource Award for Artistic Production for Young Arab Artists & Writers (the Arab region), D.A.A.D (Germany); The UNESCO-Aschberg Bursaries for Artists, Pro-Helvetia (the Swiss Arts Council); Alexandria library (Egypt); Kulturamt Düsseldorf (Germany) and over 53 exhibitions under her belt. El Masry’s work is in private and public collections, notably Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Egyptian Museum of Modern Art and private local and international collections.
2014 Participating in a collective exhibition under the title of “FIVE” at RO’IYA gallery, Saudi Arabia. Participating in a collective exhibition under the title of “FIVE” at Albareh gallery, Bahrain. 2012 Participating at the 5th Beijing International Art Biennale, China, 2012, Painting. (Group exhibition) 2010 Arabian cultural week, Pretoria, Johannesburg, photography (Group exhibition) 2008 Participated in One Minute Film & Video Festival in Aarau, Switzerland, Animation film
Born 6th of December, 1976 in Cairo, Egypt EDUCATION 2007 Ph.D. in Media Arts, Faculty of Applied Arts, Helwan University, Orman, Giza, Egypt. Thesis title: The visual structure in Media Art works 2002 Master degree in Fine Arts, Faculty of Applied Arts, Helwan University, Orman, Giza, Egypt Thesis title: The construction at the Impressionist’s work 1998 Bachelor of Applied Arts, Decoration Department, Faculty of Applied Arts, Helwan University, Orman, Giza, Egypt. Final Grade: Very Good with Honor INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITIONS 2015 Participating in the 3rd. Upper Egypt Salon, Drawing, Luxor, Egypt. (Group exhibition)
2007 Participated in the Egyptian Cultural week in Algeria, Ministry of Culture (Group exhibition) Presenting Egypt in a Photography exhibition concerning Mediterranean Countries under the title (Mediterranean Landscape), Il Lazio, Italy. (Group exhibition) 2007 Participated in the Egyptian artist’s Exhibition in Spain under title (Egipto Artes Plasticas), DIPUTACION DE ALICANTE, Spain (Group exhibition) Participated in (Images of Egypt) Exhibition photography, Nepal (Group exhibition) 2006 Participated in (Artiste Egiziane) Exhibition, Graphic, Giovinazzo BARI, Associazione PROLOCO, Italy 2005 Participated in Teramo Open City Exhibition, photography, Ministry of Culture, Termo, Italy (Group exhibition) Participated in an Annual festival for the recognition of the Egyptian civilization Southern Korea (Gwacheon Hanmadang Festival ) (Group exhibition) 2002 Participated in Kunstpunkte, Photography, Düsseldorf, Germany. (Solo exhibition) Participated in WHITE Exhibition, photography, Germany (Solo exhibition)
2014 “NOTA”, Drawing and Painting Exhibition, Easel and Camera Gallery, Egypt. (Group exhibition)
2006 Stars of Today Exhibition, Horizontal one gallery, photography, Ministry of Culture. (Group exhibition) The resident artist Exhibition, Drawing, Alexandria library), Egypt (Group exhibition)
2013 “THE GOLDEN FLY”, Drawing and Painting Exhibition, ArtTalks Gallery, Egypt (Solo exhibition)
2005 Form through light Exhibition, light installation, Ministry of Culture, Egypt. (Group exhibition)
2011 “SUBLIMATION”, Drawing and Painting Exhibition, Gizeera Art Center, Egypt (Solo exhibition)
2004 Creative Women artists’ festival, Photography, Gizeera Art Center, Egypt. (Group exhibition) Creative Women artists’ festival, Photography installation, Gizeera Art Center, Egypt (Group exhibition) 5th of Nile Salon for Photography, Ministry of Culture, Egypt. (Group exhibition)
NATIONAL EXHIBITIONS
2010 “Black & white Exhibition”, drawing, Gizeera Art Center, Egypt (Group exhibition) “Why Not?”, Object installation, Art palace, Cairo Opera House, Egypt (Group exhibition) 2009 Solo Photography exhibition, Gizeera Art Center, Egypt The Third annual CiC photography exhibition and raffle on the roof, photography, The Contemporary Image Collective (CIC), Egypt. (Group exhibition) National Exhibition for Fine Arts, video, Art palace, Cairo Opera House, Egypt (Group exhibition) 2008 National Exhibition for Fine Arts, Media Installation, Modern art Museum, Opera House, Ministry of Culture, Egypt. (Group exhibition) (Bibliotheca Alexandrina Art Collections) Exhibition, Arts Center, Alexandria Library, Alexandria, Egypt. (Group exhibition) The 3rd international salon of Youth , ATELIER OF ALEXANDRIA, Photography. (Group exhibition The 1st Artellewa miniature arts exhibition (100 mm), photography, Artellewa space for contemporary art, Egypt (Group exhibition) The second annual CiC photography exhibition and raffle on the roof, photography, The Contemporary Image Collective (CIC), Egypt. (Group exhibition) 2007 A screening of short videos under the title of (THE VOCABULARY OF THE MUNDANE),Contemporary Image Center), Egypt (Group exhibition) Nile Salon for Photography, Ministry of Culture, Egypt (Group exhibition) Victory Forum for fine arts, Drawing, Port Said Egypt (Group exhibition)
2003 Drinnen & DrauBen Exhibition, Duet Exhibition with German artist (Petra Schnieder), Photography, Goethe Institute, Cairo, Egypt Photography Exhibition, Gizeera Art Center, Egypt (Solo exhibition) 2001 &2003 Biennale Port said, painting, Egypt (Group exhibition) 1999 &2000 &2002-2004 The Annual salon of small art works, Ministry of Culture, photography &Painting, Center of Arts, Egypt. 1999 &2001 &2003& 2005 National Exhibition for Fine Arts, Ministry of Culture, (photography, Painting) Center of Arts, Egypt (Group exhibition) 1999 &2001-2006 Pioneers Exhibition, Art lovers Association, (painting & photography), Egypt (Group exhibition) 1998&2000-2007 Salon of youth, (Painting &Drawing & photography), Ministry of Culture, Egypt (Group exhibition)
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Slave or God? 2015 Mixed media on canvas 100 x 100 cm
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Her Eyes Were The Color of Cairo 2015 Mixed media on canvas 120 x 80 cm
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With me were two girls Spring well of Sorrow 2015 Mixed media on canvas 100 x 100 cm
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A Whole Harem 2015 Mixed media on canvas 150 x 150 cm
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Voice In The Darkness 2015 Mixed media on canvas 100 x 130 cm
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Born 9th of December, 1970 in Cairo, Egypt EDUCATION 1999 Faculty of Fine Arts Helwan University Egypt Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Oil Painting and Drawing Thesis subject and project was about the “Believes and Reality in Pharaonic/Soviet Painting” 1994 Faculty of Fine Arts University Of Helwan/Cairo Bachelor of Arts Oil Painting Major focus subjects were oil, watercolors and pastel painting. Core of the alignments varied from landscape to portrait, logos, and mosaic work. The graduation project was about soldiers’ rest periods during wars, which was graded excellent with honor.
EXHIBITIONS 2014 Duo exhibition at Démart, Lausanne,Switzerland
2005 Solo exhibition at “Cordoba art Gallery”
2014 Duo exhibition at Espace Culturel Jean Monnet, Saint-Genis Pouilly, France
2005 The international annual cultural exhibition “Sakiyet el Sawy”
2014 Group exhibition at La Place Suisse des Arts, Lausanne, Switzerland 2012 Group exhibition at Art Talks under a project name “Long Live Free Art” 2010 Group exhibition at Palace of Art, Cairo Opera house 2009 Duo exhibition in Lausanne, Switzerland 2006 Solo exhibition at “El Hanager art center” at the Opera ground 2006 Solo exhibition at “Cordoba art Gallery” 2005 Group exhibition at “Town house art Gallery”
2003 Solo exhibition at “Gallery” Yamama center , Zamalek 2002 14th saloon of Youth Exhibition Cairo Opera House 1999 Held a special exhibition for masters’ degree at the faculty of fine arts 1998 “Teacher’s Exhibition” in Ragab Hall 1989 - 1994 The “Annual Exhibition” of the academy of art 1994 “Graduate Exhibition” of the academy of art 1993 – 1994 5th¬ and 6th Saloon of Youth Exhibition Cairo Opera House
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The Tree Of Knowledge Of Good And Evil 2015 Mixed media on canvas 200 x 150 cm
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Seal Of Approval 2015 Oil on canvas 200 x 150 cm
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Only God Can Judge Me 2015 Oil on canvas 200 x 150 cm
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Stolen pleasures are the sweetest 2015 Acrylic on paper 150 x 140 cm
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For My World Is As Forbidden As It Is Fragile 2015 Oil on canvas 200 x 150 cm
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Catalogue Published on the oCCasion of the show
Graphic concept & realization omar Mobarek
Yasser nabaiel and weaam el Masry the foRbidden May 10th, 2015 arttalks | egypt
TexTs
PHOTOGRAPHY
Coordinators
Printing
Fatenn Mostafa
Mohamed Rabie
Cherine Chafik Lisa Lounis aynour Zeitoon
Concorde Press
8 EL KAMEL MOHAMEd STR. ZAMALEK. CAIRO OPEN dAILY FROM 11AM - 8PM FRIdAY 3 - 8PM +20227363948 info@arttalks.com www.arttalks.com