maged mekhail - exhibition catalogue

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ArtTalks | Arts Education & Exhibition | CairoViewing: February 12, 2013 at 7:00 p.m

Runs through to February 23rd, 2013For all enquiries, please contact:

Lisa Lounis: [email protected] - +201003970141General Information: [email protected] - +201005550585

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Founded in 2010, ArtTalks is an educational, advisory and exhibition space in

Egypt in support of Modern and Contemporary Egyptian Visual Arts. Our two fold

objective is to be a forum for knowledge and a search engine for Egypt’s next

generation of contemporary artists.

Our commitment, as we struggle to !nd answers regarding our national identity,

is to protect unequivocally the freedom to create, to mentor and exhibit highly

talented young artists and to expose art lovers to outstanding contemporary art

from the Middle-East.

Half of ArtTalks’ income is reinvested into an Art Fund “Hassala” with the objective

of supporting talented yet struggling artists and publishing books on selective late

and living artists.

Maged Mekhail’s Statement“Egypt is not a country we live in, but a country that lives

within us.”

(Pope Shenouda III.)

Egyptian, I am.Fatenn Mostafa, Founder ArtTalks

As part of our mission to act as a search engine for Egypt’s next generation of

Contemporary Artists, ArtTalks is proud to present the !rst solo show for Maged Mekhail.

Born in 1982, Mekhail graduated from Helwan Fine Arts Institute in 2004, after which he

trained during 4 years under the tutelage of Egyptian pivotal artist, Adam Henein. Armed

with outstanding craftsmanship and intensive training, Mekhail carved a distinctive and

independent direction for himself, culminating in winning the 2011 Sculpture Award at the

Ministry of Culture’s Youth Salon. Mekhail’s passion for Egypt’s glorious past is prominent

in his rich body of work. He manages to blend Pharaonic, Coptic or Greek lines onto

his work. His forms are usually semi-abstractions of the human !gure - suggestive

celebration of the sensual female body or icons of our proud Egyptian Coptic and Muslim

heritage. As we struggle and argue about our Egyptian identity, Maged Mekhail gently

reminds us of what we stand for - a diverse, rich and tolerant people who have shaped

the past and are able to embrace the future.

Mekhail according to Adam Henein" I always like to watch him work and see his !nal oeuvre.

It is always a pleasurable sight. I am proud of Maged's passion combined with

craftsmanship."

Mekhail according to Dr. Sobhy GuirguisWe !nd that Maged’s early works contain a visible Greek in"uence. And to Maged’s

credit, he is able to maintain the old established values of sculpting.

Some may see that some of his graceful works are in"uenced by the work of

global sculptor Giacometti but we need to realize that not every graceful work is

related to Giacometti.

Mekhail according to Art Critic Fatma AliFor a long time I could see Maged Mekhail as a gifted sculptor. Soon I found out

that he is an equally brilliant painter.

“Special thanks and recognition of El Aloussi Foundry”The factory with the sole right to cast Mr. Maged Mekhail’s bronze statues,

for their superior cast and craftmanship.

Khetm el Nesr, 2012��iĎĔňĿí�łøć

Bronze Dimensions: 46x13x17 cm.

Madame Iman, 2012��iŅîńœç��ŁíĊŃ

Bronze Dimensions: 80 x 8 x 32 cm

Zeinat, 2012��iõîňœď


Arrousset el Mouled, 2012��iĊĿŎńĿí�ôēōĎī


Democracy and Freedom, 2012 ��iŊŔģíĎĸńœĊĿí�ō�ŊœĎĄĿí


The work is based on

Mar Girgis or St George

tale – one of Egypt’s most

venerated saints, who came

to symbolize self-sacri!ce.

The Horse, 2012 ��iŅîĜĄĿí


Abdel Kader, 2012��ičĉîĸĿí�Ċòī


Aida, 2012��ióĊœîī


Assia, 2012��iîŔēá


Sarah, 2011��ióčîē


Hannah, 2012��iîňŋ


El Hekma, 2010��iôńļĄĿí


Bahga, 2012��iôĀŌñ


Egypt, my Love 2011��iôŔĿîİĿí�ĎĜŃ


Om Kolthoum, 2013��iŁŎüŀĻ�Łã


Karioka, 2013��iîĻŎœčîĻ

Acrylic on woodDimensions: 41 x 32 cm

En3am, 2013��iŁîĬŇç


Gabriella, 2013��iŜŔœĎòÿ


Frida, 2013��ióĊœĎĳ


Framed: 62 x 56 cm

Farewell to Dr. Sobhy Guergues The giant within

On Sunday 20th of January 2013, Egypt lost one of its most important artists – Dr. Sobhy

Guergues. At the age of 83, Dr. Guergues died peacefully surrounded by his family in his

home in Daher, Cairo, Egypt.

For over 60 years, Dr. Sobhy Guergues devoted his life to his passion – his art. Shying

away from the limelight, he consciously and deliberately isolated himself in his innocent

and absolutely fascinating world of sculpture and painting.

His body of work consists of abstract geometric shapes based on !gurative implications,

tackling human conditions and emotions.

Living and building a world of his own, Dr. Guergues succeeded in mixing innocence

and freedom in a semi-minimalist way – whereby the child inside the man overwhelms

his character and consequently his work. Egypt lost an icon – of the magnitude of

Mahmoud Mokhtar.

Dr. Guergues, You will be sincerely missed, but never forgotten.

ŏĎ��ĜŃ�î��Ňã Maged M

ekhailľŔëîĈŔŃ�Ċ��ÿîŃ

maged mekhail - exhibition catalogue

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