The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Aspiring to become an artist from a young age, Ahmed Abdelkareem was often reprimanded in class for drawing and enrolling in art school came as a natural progression. As a student of the visual arts, Abdelkareem was a high achiever, graduating with the highest honours.

He went on to pursue a masters degree in Islamic architecture and a PhD in artistic philosophy; both from the Institute of Fine Arts in Zamalek. Whilst prospering in academics, it took ten years for him to establish a name as a professional artist. Since then, he has sold over 700 paintings to private collectors and companies worldwide.

His latest exhibition, ‘Hoope Neighbour Girl’, at Picasso Gallery is primarily inspired by Egyptian culture and heritage. He maintains strong Pharaonic themes whilst also incorporating Islamic and secular motifs in his paintings. Egyptian geography also plays a pivotal role with many of his pieces throwing the viewer into the vast outdoors.

His canvases regularly depict surreal settings; birds, for instance, may be seen preening on a lake in the sky, or a forest may be thriving atop a boat floating in the Nile.

He rarely includes full bodied humans in his art work, though when he does, they often serve as a metaphor. In many of his paintings, the upper body of the human figure is replaced by the crown of a tree as a representation of Isis – the Pharaonic goddess of motherhood and wifehood. A dichotomy is established where the upper half symbolises nature’s nourishment of man, while the legs represent the farmer’s role in caring for the land.

As the exhibition’s title suggests, the hoopoe is the most recurring subject throughout the majority of the paintings. The bird is drawn as a representation of Horus; the son of Isis whom the Ancients ranked as a god of Sun, war and protection.

For this reason, the bird is regularly seen perched high up in the paintings, usually on a platform. In the case that humans are present, Abdelkareem uses the bird as a symbol of divine protection that gives the subjects the confidence to embark upon their travels.

One particular painting is a perfect portrayal of Abdelkareem’s musings; we see a floating boat carrying the previously mentioned thriving forest. The hoopoe sits at the highest point of the boat, whilst underneath him we see naked figures, assumed to be lovers. The water is vibrantly portrayed using blue shades with intricate strokes of red hues to indicate motion and the sun’s reflection. The boat and its passengers stand out, painted using thick strokes of brown and gold to contrast with the water. For its role as the servant of the farmer, a donkey is also included; the only land-animal in all of his works.

While the paintings in ‘Hoopoe Neighbour Girl’ are undoubtedly aesthetically pleasing, his true artistry lies in his ability to subtly merge all corners of Egyptian culture, through a visual style that is unique, yet strangely familiar.