Art Talks Egypt

09/10/2023

Countdown to our opening at the end of the month after months of renovation and expansion!
We missed you and look forward to an adventurous new Art Season!

27/06/2023

Happy Grand Bairam.
كل سنة و أنتم طيبين.
Let's take a moment to remember the importance of being grateful & generous. On this holy day. And every day. In good health and with our loved ones.
Um Kulthum by Nicha.

18/05/2023

The Observer - NICHA - Vernissage

18/05/2023

18/05/2023

Which City Are You?
Cairo, Beirut, Athens or Rome? Perhaps Venice, Miami, or New York?
I am , and !
In "My Cities," one of the 3 series exhibited in the current exhibition The Observer, Nicha captures so many intricate details pertaining to each city that you not only feel you are there, but realize that there are many elements you might have missed or didn't know!
Zoom in! Enlarge each painting and spend a good amount of time rediscovering your favourite city.
The Observer by Nicha.
Based between Cairo and Vienna, Egyptian/Lebanese/Croatian artist Nicha Sursock is widely known as Cairo's most famous restaurant entrepreneur. Come and check out his sharp eye, playful sense of humour, and most of all, his immense knowledge as we unveil his talent as an artist.
Dimensions vary between
50 x 70 cm and 70 x 100 cm.

14/05/2023

What do Kasr El-Nil, Ancient Rome, and Andy Warhol have in common?

Not much, except that the Egyptian-Lebanese-Croatian artist Nicha Sursock uses his sharp eye and playful sense of humour to travel time and space and unravel past and present.

Please join us on Tuesday 16 May for the opening of The Observer by the instantly recognizable Nicha with his neck-long hair, greyish beard, and eyeglasses.

In his first solo show in Egypt and at ArtTalks Gallery, Nicha presents three series using a formula of crowded paintings mixing graffiti art, caricature, and poster art, in which he explores today’s world cities (My Cities), yesterday’s art scenes (Grand Masters), and the ancient world (History of the World).

Widely known as Cairo's most famous restaurant entrepreneur, Nicha grew up surrounded by his renowned mother's art and began producing art & illustrations in school. Based between Cairo and Vienna, he studied at the Institut national supérieur des arts du spectacle in Brussels.
Opening The Observer by Nicha
16 May between 6 - 9 PM
ArtTalks Gallery
8 el Kamel Mohamed Street
Zamalek
Tribute to Egyptian Grand Masters
Mixed media on paper
70 x 170cm

14/03/2023

Join us tonight between 6 - 9 PM for the opening of Jamal Bassiouni 's long-awaited second solo show at ArtTalks: ALLEGRO.
In his new body of work, Jamal BASSIOUNI continues to explore the art of movement by blending elements from Islamic art, ancient Egypt, and Art Deco.
But this time, the 30-year-old artist casts a penetrating eye on the physical attraction of ballet dancers, ever so inspiring and in control of their bodies.
Born in Alexandria in 1993, Jamal Bassiouni holds a BFA (2016) and an MFA (2019) from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Alexandria. His first solo show took place at ArtTalks in 2021.

Very much looking forward!

8 El Kamel Mohamed Street Zamalek Cairo

11/03/2023

Join us next Tuesday, March 14, between 6 - 9 PM, for the opening of Jamal Bassiouni 's long-awaited second solo show at ArtTalks: ALLEGRO.
In his new body of work, Jamal BASSIOUNI explores the art of movement and celebrates the physical attraction of ballet dancers, ever so inspiring and in control of their body.

The 30-year-old Alexandria-based artist casts a penetrating eye on the liberating power of classical ballet, widely recognised as one of the most demanding and strictest forms of dance.
With symmetrical figures typically in a single plane of depth, our attention is drawn to geometric relationships and patterns, such as flowers, birds, or lines, depicted in unvaried repetitions as Bassiouni places emphasis on form as much as on ornament, in a subtle nod to Ancient Egypt and the Art Deco movement.
Motifs such as the Lotus flower turn the background into a rich piece of textile while the bright and deep yellows, reds, greens, blues, and pinks complement the structured look. 

We are very much looking forward to this!
Born in 1993, Jamal Bassiouni holds a BFA (2016) and an MFA (2019) from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Alexandria. His MFA thesis investigates "Beliefs in Ancient Egyptian Paintings."
Bassiouni's first solo exhibition took place at ArtTalks in 2021.

09/03/2023

Part II | INVEST IN ART!
In Part I, we tackled the Why.
In Part II, we address What and How.
This post targets novice collectors / new art buyers as they look for ways to diversify their portfolio and protect their LE against further devaluation.
There are many more considerations, and there is overlapping, but these are the big guidelines.
In addition to encouraging investing in art, the post aims to guide potential art buyers from falling prey to the mass-produced generic or decorative art.

06/03/2023

One of the most gratifying moments when doing research for my book series "Modern Art in Egypt" is meeting wonderful people who grew up around the artist.
Yesterday, I spent an unforgettable morning with Dr. Bahia Riad, former professor, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, and a relative of Egyptian pioneer abstract painter Khadiga El-Alaily, known as Khadiga Riaz/Riad by marriage (Slide 2) and grand-niece of Ahmed Shawki, known as the Prince of Poets.
What a linkage! The family tree is so complex that I have been working on it for over a year (see last slide).
In slides 3 & 4, u can see a precious broche inspired by ancient Egypt by Khadiga Riad, who was also a renowned jewellery designer.
Thank you, Dr. Bahia, for your generous time, kind heart, and recollection of the past.
Thank you, Yehia El-Alaily, Dr. Bahia's son and a prominent Cairo-based photographer who just had a series of his incredible photographs published in Wast Al-Balad book.

04/03/2023

Food for thought:
As a new devaluation looms in the horizon in Egypt, many of us are thinking of ways to safeguard our hard-earned money in Egyptian Pound.
One investment opportunity is to buy art.
Scroll to read why.
Let me know what you think!

27/02/2023

HUNA Al-QAHIRA
HIWAR | ART CAIRO
هنا القاهرة / مصر الآن و غداً
في هذه الجلسة الرائعة التي اجمعت لأول مرة ، لاعبين رئيسيين في سوق الفن في مصر من القطاعين العام والخاص ، ناقشنا وتجادلنا وحلمنا بالمكان الذي يجب أن تكون عليه مصر.
في عالم الفن الذي تخيم عليه العولمة والتنافسية، ما هو الموقع الذي تشغله مصر؟ على الصعيد المحلي نشهد دوامة من التغيرات: من الانتشار السريع للجاليريهات، والعدد المتزايد من الفنانين، في مقابل قلة عدد جامعي الأعمال الفنية. يتطلب الوضع القائم إعادة التقييم وتبادل الأفكار حول ما يجب القيام به، بعيداً عن الارتجال، وذلك من أجل خلق بيئة تنافسية ومهنية مناسبة. في مثل هذه الأوضاع يكون علينا الاستعداد للعمل معاً والالتزام بالقيم الواجب توافرها في مثل هذه البيئة التنافسية.
د. وليد قانوش، رئيس قطاع الفنون التشكيلية، وزارةالثقافة.
محمد يونس، مؤسس أرت كايرو
سعاد مردم بي، فنانه تشكيلية،
أكرم المجدوب، نحات و عضو مؤسسة آدم حنين
هنا الببلاوي، مؤسسة Ard for Art
سعيدة الحركاني، Legacy

و أدار الحوار / فاتن مصطفى و رشيد كامل
In the last Hiwar at Art Cairo moderated by Rasheed Kamel & Fatenn Mostafa-Kanafani, the icing on the cake was a panel that included the public and private sector.
For the first time, we were able to speak openly, argue, and dream with

Dr. Waleed Kanoush, Head of the Fine Arts Sector, Ministry of Culture;
Mohamed Younis, founder Art Cairo; Souad Mardam Bey, artist;
Akram El-Magdoub, artist and member of Adam Henein Foundation; Hana El-Beblawy, founder Ard for Art; Saida El-Harakany, Legacy, together with an incredibly engaged audience.
In an increasingly globalized art world, how is Egypt being viewed and represented, and who is responsible for that representation in the art world? The situation today calls for reevaluating where we stand and how we can collectively think of a visionary way forward.
Thank you for an unforgettable gathering. The road is long, but l'union fait la force.

24/02/2023

Hiwar | ART CAIRO |

GLOBAL HEAD, LOCAL HAT |
The Role of the Gallery.
In this panel moderated by Fatenn Mostafa, gallery founders Aleya Hamza (Gypsum Gallery), Zein Khalifa (Tintera), Saleh Barakat (Saleh Barakat, Beirut), and Essa Ramadan (Dar al-Funoun, Kuwait) talked about their approach to representing artists and what representation means; and the challenges they face including the lack of local institutional support / involvement. Bottom line, the relationship between the gallery and the artist must be approached as a marriage (that includes chemistry, communication, transparency, long-term win win).
Thank you to our panellists and an extremely engaged full house audience, نورتونا !

Thank you,

24/02/2023

Hiwar | ART CAIRO |

SEASONED COLLECTORS |
ECLECTIC COLLECTIONS.
Beautifully moderated by Ambassador Ahmed Abdel-Latif, this panel brought together Mrs. Rawya Mansour, Mr. Mohamed El-Shiaty and Mr. Ragy Soliman, three seasoned and experienced Egyptian collectors who extensively researched and travelled to diversify their collections.
The discussion dove into their childhood surrounded by artists and culture, which enabled them to acquire a wealth of knowledge in different facets of the art world and expanded into how they evolved as independent collectors.
Whereas identity and heritage motivated some, for others, the exploration of the Arab world informed their decision to go beyond Egypt. Travelling to art fairs or important exhibitions across the region and the world at large, they each built an impressive eclectic collection.
Thank you to our panellists for sharing their personal journey and for ambassador Abdel-Latif for an extremely engaging discussion. Another full-house!

24/02/2023

HIWAR | ART CAIRO
THE ARAB ARTIST |
Speaking Universal
Moderated by Professor, author, and artist Bahia Shehab, this panel brought together Sliman Mansour (Palestine), Lara Baladi (Egypt/Lebanon), and Soad Abdel Rasoul (Egypt), three internationally acclaimed Arab artists who put the concept of “art knows no borders” to the test.
Working under dire circumstances, the artists discussed how the context (social and political) shapes their art practice and what dynamics enable them to push the envelope and address sensitive topics from social justice and freedom to environment and gender.
The panellists discussed in length censorship in the Arab world and shared their approach to the role of art as a form of activism and a space for critical reflection, if not resistance against (military) occupation, colonialism, et al.
.mansour .lara

24/02/2023

HIWAR | ART CAIRO

HEART OR BRAIN |
Next Generation Collectors
Beautifully moderated by Saida El-Harakany, Culture Programming Director | Legacy Hassan Allam, this panel was eye-opening and inspiring.
Sharing the early days of their collecting journey and how it has since evolved, Mai Abdel Meguid, Nora Alkholi, Ahmed Diaa, Dina Ghabbour, and Rania Hafez shared different driving forces (heart, brain, both), and strategies.
Meeting the artist and building a relationship, creating a list of artists to acquire, working with a trustworthy gallery, or pursuing intensive research while being budget conscious were said to be fundamental steps for this young generation of collectors.
Gradually, one panellist made the leap into art patronage, while another advises to document collections timely & precisely.
Thank you! Rania Hafez

24/02/2023

HIWAR | ART CAIRO |

THE MAKING OF A LEGACY |
Estate Management

Historically, the centre of culture in the Arab world, Egypt is home to the most important 20th-century Arab modernist artists who left valuable works and archives behind.
This panel invited three of the region's most professionally run artist estates and explored the parameters behind the success of their models.
Sherine Morsi, representing the Ahmed Morsi Studio (NYC / Cairo);
Manuella Guiragossian, representing the Paul Guiragossian Foundation (Beirut), and Samir Abdalla, representing the Hamed Abdalla Estate (Paris / Cairo), shared incredible learnings to a packed full-house session.

Moderated by Fatenn Mostafa-Kanafani, the insightful conversation tapped into the heirs' journey and their role in protecting, preserving, disseminating, authenticating, and promoting the legacy of their artist parent.
The panel was an eye-opening opportunity to gain practical advice on managing estates from the legal, institutional, archiving, authentication, and gallery relationships to the exhibitions and, importantly, publications sides.
The last slide is a short video prepared by Samir Abdalla to introduce Egyptian modernist painter/his father, Hamed Abdalla.
Slide before last shows 3 examples of monographs researched, initiated, and brought to life by the panellists.
Thank you,

15/02/2023

HIWAR | ART CAIRO

BEYOND COLLECTING |
From Collector to Patron

Session 1 | Day 1

Thank you, Dr. Mohamed Aboulghar for moderating this session where we listened to truly inspiring journeys that meet on the road to art patronage.
Thank you (in alphabetical order) to Dr. Rabie Bsieso, Mr. Nadim Elias, Mr. Hisham El-Khazindar, and Mr. Rasheed Kamel for your collecting insights, commitment to supporting arts and artists, and sense of humour.
.elias2018
Thank you, and .hassanallam

14/02/2023

A precious and pertinent acknowledgment from the distinguished
Dr. Mohamed Salmawy who praised the efforts of the dedicated team who organized ART CAIRO at the Grand Egyptian Museum!
Thank you Mohamed Younis , the participating galleries , artists , the Art Cairo committee, Legacy , the GEM , the talks speakers And of course the wide attendance of the art-hungry public .
To more success - together we are strong !

13/02/2023

الليله في ارت كايرو في المتحف المصري الكبير:
حوار :

هنا القاهرة / مصر الآن و غداً /
حلقة نقاش مفتوحة
في عالم الفن الذي تخيم عليه العولمة والتنافسية، ما هو الموقع الذي تشغله مصر؟ على الصعيد المحلي نشهد دوامة من التغيرات: من الانتشار السريع للجاليريهات، والعدد المتزايد من الفنانين، في مقابل قلة عدد جامعي الأعمال الفنية. يتطلب الوضع القائم إعادة التقييم وتبادل الأفكار حول ما يجب القيام به، بعيداً عن الارتجال، وذلك من أجل خلق بيئة تنافسية ومهنية مناسبة. في مثل هذه الأوضاع يكون علينا الاستعداد للعمل معاً والالتزام بالقيم الواجب توافرها في مثل هذه البيئة التنافسية.

13/02/2023

TODAY |
ART CAIRO @ THE GEM PRESENTS:
DAY 2 - Monday, 13 February 2023
Pick Your Talk or Attend All Talks in the Small Auditorium at the Grand Egyptian Museum.

Come listen to Egyptian and Arab artists who made it internationally; heirs of artists estates; and the next generation collectors. The final Talk, Huna Al-Qahira, is an open round table with the head of Fine Arts (Ministry of Culture) and founders / members of nonprofit, artists, to discuss where we stand today and how we can cooperate.
HIWAR, a 2-day symposium and the first platform in Egypt to gather artists, collectors, galleries, patrons, cultural practitioners, members of the ministry of culture, and foundations around panel discussions with the objective of building an inclusive community and a collaborative spirit.
Open to ART CAIRO Visitors.
.mansour .lara

11/02/2023

ART CAIRO @ THE GEM PRESENTS:
HIWAR, a 2-day symposium and the first platform in Egypt to gather artists, collectors, galleries, patrons, cultural practitioners, members of the ministry of culture, and foundations around panel discussions with the objective of building an inclusive community and a collaborative spirit.
DAY 1 - Sunday 12 February 2023
Pick Your Talk or Attend all Talks;
In the Small Auditorium at the Grand Egyptian Museum and come listen to influential and seasoned collectors as well as founders of galleries in Egypt and the Arab world who will share the journeys.
Open to ART CAIRO Visitors.
.elias2018

10/02/2023

Meet us at the Grand Egyptian Museum!
It gives me great pleasure, as a member of the Board of Trustees of Art Cairo, the world's newest Middle Eastern Art Fair, to welcome you all to Art Cairo's Fourth Edition at the iconic Grand Egyptian Museum.
Art Cairo opens its doors on Saturday, February 11, 2023, at 3 PM.
Thirty galleries from across the region, from Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi, the UAE, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan, join forces to shift the narrative and turn Cairo into the Voice of Arab art.
This year, Art Cairo also launches Hiwar, a 2-day symposium that will take place in the Small Autitoriun at the GEM on the evening of Sunday, February 12, and Monday, February 13th.

For the first time, collectors, patrons, gallery founders, artists, artists' estates, and the head of the ministry of culture's fine arts sector will gather and share their experience, knowledge, and hopes for Egypt and the Arab world 's art ecosystem.
Grab your ticket and Join us. هنا القاهرة.

10/02/2023

Visit ArtTalks Booth A-13 during Art Cairo at the Grand Egyptian Museum and mark your calendar for the Talks :
- Art Cairo - حوار -
( Details on on the post ) .
This year, Art Cairo also launches Hiwar, a 2-day symposium that will take place in the Small Autitoriun at the GEM on the evening of Sunday, February 12, and Monday, February 13th.

For the first time, collectors, patrons, gallery founders, artists, artists' estates, and the head of the ministry of culture's fine arts sector will gather and share their experience, knowledge, and hopes for Egypt and the Arab world 's art ecosystem.
Thirty galleries from across the region, from Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi, the UAE, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan, join forces to shift the narrative and turn Cairo into the Voice of Arab art.

Meet us at the GEM between 11 - 14 February 2023 between 3 - 10 PM.

Link for TICKETS in 1st comment .


Art Talks Egypt

07/02/2023

What do these two women have in common?
Visit ArtTalks Booth during Art Cairo at the Grand Egyptian Museum to find out.
We are delighted to present a dialogue between Egyptian modernist painter and activist Inji Efflatoun (1924-1989) and internationally recognized Egyptian-Lebanese multidisciplinary artist Lara Baladi (1969).
Meet us at the GEM between 11 - 14 February 2023 between 3 - 10 PM.
.lara

21/01/2023

Happy birthday, Hassan Heshmat!
On this day, 102 years ago, Hassan Heshmat was born in Menoufia, Egypt.
To celebrate the centennary and legacy of an internationally acclaimed yet forgotten Egyptian master sculptor, we opened
Hassan Heshmat: 1920-2006, a parallel exhibition, last Tuesday at ArtTalks Gallery in Zamalek.
We were delighted to welcome many members of the Hassan Heshmat family and Estate to the gallery!
After earning his applied arts degree specializing in ceramics from Egypt in 1938, Hassan Hesmat was granted a scholarship to study porcelain in Bavaria in 1957.
Mixing stone, ceramics, porcelain, and every-so-often bronze, Heshmat rose to fame during the era of Gamal Abdel Nasser and held solo exhibitions in London (1956), Paris (1957), West Germany (1958), Syria (1960), Rome (1967), Geneva and Frankfurt (1968), Holland and Stockholm (1969), Brussels (1970), Norway (1971), and Lausanne (1976).

Heshmat's (monumental public) sculptures surround us nationwide and offer a heartfelt ode to authentic Egypt as Heshmat puts ordinary Egyptians at the centre of his world/our world.

21/01/2023

Thank you for joining us on Tuesday, 17 January, for the opening of Pie in the Sky, the first solo show for 28-year-old Alexandria-based Egyptian painter Mohamed Elbehairy.
Elbehairy puts his finger on the pulse of contemporary Egyptian society and presents a series of paintings in which fantasies are being manufactured as a way of escaping dreary reality.
Full of life and characterised by a warm humanity, Elbehairy's paintings are a heartfelt ode to authentic Egypt and a visual feast of dazzling, lurid primary colours with a real taste of exuberance and theatricality that is set to define Elbehairy.

You will not want to miss this exceptional show.
.elbehairy.art

16/01/2023

JOIN US TOMORROW!
HASSAN HESHMAT
1920 - 2006

The exhibition opens tomorrow, Tuesday 17 January 2023, at ArtTalks Gallery in Zamalek. 6 to 9 PM.
Show runs until 8 February 2023.
Come and discover stunning sculptures in various materials (stone, bronze, porcelain) celebrating Ibn al-Balad and Bint al-Balad by the internationally active Egyptian pioneer sculptor Hassan Heshmat.
Also, in the next few days, follow our posts to (re)discover the life and works of this highly celebrated (during his lifetime) but now forgotten artist.

16/01/2023

Join us tomorrow at the Opening of
A Pie in the Sky
the first solo show by
MOHAMED ELBEHAIRY
at ArtTalks Gallery between 6 and 9PM.
The exhibition runs until 8 February 2023.
Gallery is open daily from 11am to 8pm except Fridays off. elbehairy.art

14/01/2023

We are delighted to invite you to the opening of a second exhibition on Tuesday, 17 January 2023, at ArtTalks Gallery in Zamalek, coinciding with "A Pie in The Sky" by Mohamed Elbehairy.
HASSAN HESHMAT
1920-2006.
In our pursuit to put back on the map long lost forgotten Egyptian masters in sculpture or painting, ArtTalks Gallery is pleased to present for the first time in decades over 40 sculptures by Hassan Heshmat.
Highly celebrated but forgotten, the Egyptian sculptor Hassan Hesmat (1920-2006) is known for reflecting a highly idealized, socialist realist, and heartwarming depiction of Ibn al-Balad and the fellaha.
Whether in stone or porcelain, Heshmat's subjects enter into a great dialogue with Elbehairy's happily-ever-after humble Egyptians.
In both artists' views, Egyptians are heroes.

12/01/2023

Who wouldn't like to fly high in the sky and just forget about all the troubles down here?
In his first solo exhibition in Egypt, Mohamed Elbehairy (1993) shows that imagination is the key to crossing mental boundaries. Following in the footsteps of the Egyptian surrealists, the subject of his Ph.D., Elbehairy celebrates his countrymen's humbleness, resilience in the face of hardships, and their power to make the best out of what they have.
Join us!
A Pie in the Sky Opens 17 January 2023 | 6 - 9 PM
The show runs until 8 February 2023.
.elbehairy.art

11/01/2023

We are very excited to present MOHAMED ELBEHAIRY (1993) in his first solo exhibition!

Titled A PIE IN THE SKY, the exhibition will showcase Elbehairy’s extraordinary interpretation of and deep affinity to Egyptian villagers in a series of figurative oil paintings, that read like a Kan Yama Kan folk tale.

Meant as wishful thinking, A Pie in the Sky offers multiple interpretations as Elbehairy invents an imaginary, profoundly joyful, and surreal world where humble people resort to celebratory practices, feasts, and games to overcome daily hardships.
“I always feel that we should not accept the world as it is. We should not surrender or get stuck to the limitations that we know and the laws that govern them.” Elbehairy.
Mohamed Elbehairy was born in Gharbia Governorate, north of Cairo, in 1993. Currently, he lives and works in Alexandria as Assistant Lecturer at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Alexandria University, from which he graduated in 2016. Elbehairy has taken part in various collective shows in Cairo and Alexandria, as well as the Ministry of Culture’s Youth Salon.
Join us on 17 January 2023 as we lift the curtain on Elbehairy’s heartwarming Theatre of Life between 6 and 9 PM!

Tuta Tuta Khelsset El Hadouta.elbehairy.art

31/12/2022

Thank you! شكرأ
To our artists, visitors, collectors, late artists' families, friends, and team.
We couldn't have made it without you.
From Chant Avedissian to Bahgory,
From Omar El-Nagdi to Samir Rafi,
From Mokhtar to Gazbia,
From Salam Yousry to Hady Boraey.
We wish you a wonderful New Year.