Combining the work of amateur and established artists, ‘Encounter’ at Tache Gallery in Designopolis explores the multiple meanings of possible encounters in the eyes of painters Deena Fadel and Wael Sabour, as well as sculptor Rossana Corrado.
With pieces scattered throughout the gallery, Egyptian-Italian Rossana Corrado’s bronze sculptures contemplate the merging of mind, spirit, and body. The sculptures’ flowing lines carry intimate details and vivid expressions. A large sculpture placed at the entrance is hard to miss; titled ‘El Sofio’ – or ‘the breath’ – it captures the spirit of worship with a lady in a pea pod-like structure blowing a breath.
Another piece, titled ‘The Dancers’, features two swirling dancers attached at the hair; a segment combines stone and bronze melded together forming a male figurine reminiscent of Renaissance art. While pricey, ranging between 5,000LE – 45,000LE, Corrado’s pieces are expertly crafted.
The ground floor exhibit features paintings by Deena Fadel, whose stylised paintings combine oil, acrylic, floral textile prints, ink, wax and pastels in a myriad of abstraction. Ranging between 3,000LE and 8,000LE, many paintings capture the chaos of the current political atmosphere. The use of different materials give the paintings varying degrees of depth depending on where you’re standing, making for a very dynamic impression.
Fadel tackles various themes in her work, including social inclusion and exclusion, politics, social space and the race for power. The energy and diversity of the city are prominent features in her paintings, and although she employs an abstract approach to her paintings, Fadel captures a very gritty reality.
‘Town’ captures both the shapes and subtle tones of a town on the horizon, with silhouettes of minarets and church towers; its sharp lines look a lot like calligraphy. ’Cars‘ depicts an aerial view of cars crowding onto a street and the use of different mediums in the piece accentuates the stifling reality of Cairo’s streets.
Up a flight of stairs, Wael Sabour’s collection is titled ’Mediterranean Dream‘. Away from the overwhelming density of Cairo, Sabour’s work is inspired by Alexandria and, in contrast to Fadel’s exhibition, provides more of an escape. The paintings are priced between 3,000LE and 10,000LE.
Boats are a prominent motif in Sabour’s work and it seems as if much of his collection is about capturing the essence of a little boat out in the big blue sea. The pieces are layered and are painted in both vivid ocean colours as well as a combination of ink, pastels and watercolours in sandy tones. Ancient Egyptian influences are a subtle feature in his work.
Sabour’s ‘Harbor Collection’ is an eye-catching set of four paintings with magenta, purple, orange, and turquoise jumping out from their simple white frames. Once again, a little boat is his main subject, viewed from different angles and in different colours.
From a buyer's perspective, there are several great pieces to choose from and some with relatively reasonable prices. Either way, the originality and solid running theme of the exhibition are well worth a visit.
