Phoenix Sculpture Symposium 2022

● At the end of October 2021, everybody was shocked by the fire that ate up the majestic Nasibian Studio Theater, which was established by the Armenian photographer "Hrant Nasibian" in 1937, to be a beacon of cinema art in the heart of Faggala neighborhood, which was looked after by The Scientific and Cultural Renaissance Association - Jesuit Cairo.

● This theater was the beating heart of the Academy of Arts established by the Renaissance Society, where many theatrical, cinematic, lyrical and other cultural performances were held over many years.

● This space is considered to be the largest cultural project located in downtown Cairo that encourages the independent arts stream to empower the youth who lives in marginalized and remote areas. The Renaissance Center trains and educates hundreds of young men and women from all over Egypt, especially Upper Egypt on different types of arts by providing tools, spaces and guidance neces-

sary to practice various activities, workshops, and seminars held in there. The continuation of the society work is based on four major components:

● 1. Visual arts

● 2. Performing arts.

● 3. Open spaces for artists and youth

● 4. Free studies, researches, issuing magazines and research books.

● After the horrific fire, the theater became a yard for scrap iron. Hence the idea of launching the Phoenix Sculpture Forum immerged as an initiative by the artist Hamdi Reda, with the aim of restoring the luster of the place and reviving it again with the participation of a number of artists. This will also contribute in financing the building up of the theater and studio. The symposium will be an annual event at the Nasibian Studio and Theater in Faggala.

● The Phoenix Forum is specialized in sculpting scrap iron. It will be held over a period of two weeks at the headquarters of Studio Nasibian Theater at the Scientific and Cultural Renaissance Association Jesuit Cairo in Faggala. This first artistic event aims profoundly on financial support to rebuild the burned theatre. The forum will be reusing the collapsed stage iron in the production of many artistic sculptures by a group of the most skilled artists of metal and scrap in Egypt.

● The title of the forum is clearly related to the myth of the phoenix in Greek mythology, the big bird which is born from the ashes of his body. In some historical narrations, we find the phoenix sometimes symbolizing the reincarnation in philosophy, and other times the resurrection after death.

● We find counterparts to this bird in many other cultures and philosophies, such as (Al Anqaa’) for the Arabs, (Simorgh Ralhuma) for the Persians, (Fenghuang) for the Chinese, and (Qnarl) for the Turks. Like most myths, it has roots in the ancient Egyptian culture, and most likely it was inspired by the god Bennu, who is associated with the sun, creation and resurrection.

● During the month of December 2021, several meetings were held at the headquarters of Studio Nasibian Theater between the organizing committee for the events of the forum and the management of the Renaissance Association, some of which were attended by the participating artists. They have reached a final model of the event and its mechanism.

● The committee selected and invited many artists who were enthusiastic about the idea of the forum and expressed their full readiness to provide all their time, effort and creativity to make the Phoenix Sculpture Forum a success, and all the meetings were characterized by enthusiasm and looking forward to an exceptional artistic event.

● The Scientific and Cultural Renaissance Association - Jesuit Cairo:

● It was founded in Faggala (Cairo Jesuit) in 1998 by the Jesuit fathers and brothers “Jesuits” and some Egyptian Muslims and Christians interested in artistic, cultural, civic and other issues of concern to all Egyptians.

● The association believes in the role of image culture in human development at various levels, linking creativity and demonstrating the latent energies of the Egyptian individual. It is registered in the Ministry of Social Affairs (Social Solidarity) No. 4499, and it operates throughout the Arab Republic of Egypt.

● Dates of the Forum:

● - January 26, announcing the start of the forum’s events.

● - Feb 1, starting the artistic works.

● - Feb 15, finishing the works and open the exhibition for the public. At the same time, preparing for the closing ceremony starts.

● - Feb 22, the closing ceremony and handing over the works for the supporting sponsors.

Participants

The artists participating in the first edition of the Phoenix Sculpture Forum, in alphabetical order, are:

١. Sculptor / Abdo Ramzy

٢. Sculptor / Ahmed Ezzat

٣. Sculptor / Alaa Abdel Hamid

٤. Sculptor/ Ammar Shiha

٥. Sculptor / Asaad Saeed Farahat

٦. Sculptor / Hossam Hussein Hamed

٧. Sculptor / Kamal Al Sammak

٨. Sculptor / Karem Ibrahim

٩. Artist Mohamed Abla

١٠. Sculptor/ Omar Toson

١١. Sculptor/ Vahan Telebian

The Scientific and Cultural Renaissance Society - Jesuit Cairo provides a group of craftsmen with their equipments and tools to assist the artists during the implementation phase of the works, in addition to a group of volunteers from young modelers and fresh graduates."

A sculptor and artist with a banking background, he transforms his travels and life experiences into works of art in a variety of media.

In his works, he mixes drawings, graphic art and collage, which reflects his interest and affiliation with pop art

Participant in the Naïve art

Sculptor / Ahmed Ezzat

Born in 1969

Participated in many local and international group exhibitions

He held many solo exhibitions and has acquisitions inside and outside Egypt

Sculptor / Asaad Saeed Farahat

Born in 1975, his artistic career began in the late nineties of the twentieth century.

Held two solo exhibitions in 2021

Participated in more than 40 group and international exhibitions

Sculptor / Hossam Hussein Hamed

He was born in 1961 and started his artistic career in the nineties of the twentieth century.

Held nearly 20 special exhibitions, the last of which was in 2014

Participated in nearly 20 local group exhibitions, the latest was on 2017.

He received a number of awards and grants, most notably the honorary award from the Fifth Cairo International Biennial 1994.

Sculptor / Abdo Ramzy

Born in 1986, he started his artistic career in the early 2000s.

In addition to his international participation, he has held a number of solo exhibitions.

He has received many awards and grants.

Sculptor / Alaa Abdel Hamid

He was born in 1972 and began his artistic career with scrap iron at the age of nineteen.

He Participated in 4 international art forums for scrap sculpting, the last of which was “E’maar Misr” 2021. He has a number of acquisitions inside and outside Egypt

Sculptor/ Ammar Shiha

Omar Toson

Born in 1972, he started his artistic career in the nineties of the twentieth century

He held 4 solo exhibitions in Egypt and one in Serbia

Founder and curator of several international sculpture forums

Recipient of many awards and acquisitions inside and outside Egypt

Sculptor/

Born in 1963, he started his artistic career in the nineties of the twentieth century

Participated in various sessions of the Youth Salon, the General Exhibition, and a number of international sculpture events

Curator of the Egyptian Artists Exhibition in Armenia 2001, Siwa Rock Salt Sculpture Symposium 2018

Received a number of local and international awards

He has private holdings with a number of institutions and individuals inside and outside Egypt

Sculptor/ Vahan Telebian

Born in 1969

Studied at the Egyptian Academy of Art and UCL School in London

Participated in many art forums locally and internationally

He produces his artworks in variable and different mediums.

Sculptor / Karem Ibrahim

Born in 1965, he started his artistic career since 1990

Founder of the Association Jeel 90

Held 17 solo exhibitions and won a number of awards

He has collections inside and outside Egypt

Sculptor / Kamal Al Sammak

Born in 1953, he started his artistic career in the mid-seventies of the twentieth century

He held nearly 50 solo exhibitions inside and outside Egypt

Participate in nearly 100 international events

Received a number of local and international awards

He wrote a number of critical articles in specialized journals

He has collections inside and outside Egypt

Artist Mohamed Abla

Organizing body of the conference

-

Artist / Hamdi Reda, President. A visual artist, artistic curator and cultural activist, he works and lives in Egypt and Germany. He graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts 1997, Department of Painting, with distinction, with honors. He received many free studies in the fields of artistic evaluation and cultural management. He funded and managed the Art Loa space from 2007-2017. He also co-founded Broewnian Motion Art Space in Germany 2018, which is a forum for creating and activating dialogue among artists and between them and the society.

Mohamed

Talaat,

Director of Studio Nasibian Theater

He has worked as artistic director of the studio and technical director of the Scientific and Cultural Renaissance Association - Jesuit Cairo since 2001, founder with Father William Sidhom, worked in many other institutions and established several places and cultural entities

Artist / Omar Toson, Curator and Executive Director: A sculptor who started his artistic career in the nineties of the twentieth century. He produced his works in different materials such as stone, iron and stainless steel. He held 4 solo exhibitions in Egypt and one in Serbia, in addition to his international and local participation in more than 100 forums and exhibitions. He also established and worked as an artistic curator for many international sculpture forums. Received many awards and has acquisitions inside and outside Egypt

Fimoni Okasha, Support File Writer and researcher in heritage, master's degree in museum management, and tourist guide

Artist/ Taghreed Al Sabban, General Coordination She is an artist, a fine arts critic and a member of the Syndicate of Fine Arts. She has participated in a number of exhibitions and has acquisitions with individuals in Egypt. She has worked in organizing exhibitions and cultural salons at Goujan Gallery. She also worked in the field of cultural journalism. She has published several critical articles and participated in writing the introduction to the exhibition “The Bride” at Ahmed Shawky Museum, as well as an critical introduction for a special exhibition by artist Walid Obaid, which was held in the State of Qatar, and she is currently working in the field of preparing television programs in the specialized Nile channels sector

Sponsors

and Supporters

of the Phoenix Sculpture Forum

Diamond sponsor:

The supporter of 500,000 five hundred thousand Egyptian pounds will be announced as a main sponsor for rebuilding the theater. He will receive large and medium sized statues. His name or his company’s name will be announced and the logo will be placed on all printings during the forum and the closing ceremony in a distinguished place.

500,000 Pounds

The largest donation for the forum, which exceeds 750,000 - seven hundred and fifty thousand Egyptian pounds, will have his name placed in a special spot inside the theater when it is rebuilt. He will also receive large, medium and small sized statues. His name or his company’s name will be announced and the logo will be placed on all prints during the meeting and the closing ceremony.

750,000 Pounds

Honorary President of the Festival:

The support will be in kind and logistical contributions such as; providing equipment, materials and tools, printing and designs, providing food and beverages during the events of the forum and the closing ceremony, recording and photographing, playing and singing at the closing ceremony, etc… His name or his company’s name will be announced and the logo will be placed on all printed materials in the meeting and the closing ceremony.

The supporter of seventy Thousand Egyptian pounds 70,000 will receive a small sized statues. His name or his company’s name will be announced and the logo will be placed on all printing during the forum and the closing ceremony