Page 13 - World of Art magazine (2000)

artist talk
julie olivari

carlos calvo 447, 13 h, buenos aires 1102 argentina
tEl +54 1 361 1848 Fa x +54 1 361 1848
i’ve worked as a theatrical gave me new ideas about space.
set designer and scene painter I am reminded of Antoni
in Buenos Aires for many years, Tapies, Joaquin Chillida, Carlos
for a very important argentine Saura and a young argentine
set designer Mario Vanarelli. painter named Fernando Cano-
I love painting. I’ve started vas who lives in Barcelona and
working with figurative forms. mixes two manners of painting:
I’ve looked at Paul Cézanne and figurative and abstraction on
Paul Gauguin. the same canvas.
I love the free construction of Afterwards my mind or my
Cézanne (Saint Victoire Moun- spirit ran looking for another
tain) and I loved the free life form of expression and I found
of Gauguin in Martinique, in it in abstraction. The elements
Tahiti, the color of the Polyne- in my paints don’t work inde-
sian Sea, his quiet figures. pendently. I went back to my
I don’t consider myself as a profession and I got pleasure
figurative artist because I found from construction of theatre
the meaning of art when I was maquettes. From that moment,
looking at form involving space. I incorporated the volume and
They address other language mixed media in my works,
rather the collages and the func- called them “Scene Paints”
tion of it show a chaotic world between theatre and painting.
in the power of violence. I consider a work finished
Many years ago I was tempted when it’s harmonic because the
Man & energy (7), 1994 acrylic construction art 60 x 60 cM / 32¾ x 32¾ in to do something other than physicality of it is very impor-
paint. I also loved to write and tant.
I’ve published two books of Some specific people were piv-
short stories and poems. otal in my career. The meaning
aHMed naWar reviews because the artwork of my work has been influenced
I don’t care about the bad
by contemporary artists such as
itself is the best way to show the Tapies, Chilliada, Saura. Some
own and real truth. Americans have also influenced
The meaning of my work me Rochtko, De Kooning, Jack-
has been influences by contem- son Pollock. I only say that the
born in Gharbia, 3 June 1945. Graduated
from the Faculty of Fine arts, cairo, in porary artist such as Spanish artwork itself is the best way to
1967. Earned professorship in 1975. painters and sculptures, who show the real truth.
Founder-dean of menia university’s
Faculty of Fine arts (1982-1988). head of
the national centre for Fine arts in Egypt,
since 1988. head of the museums’ sector
of the supreme council of antiquities
since 1994. General-supervisor of the
save nubia Fund from 1996 to 1999.
participating in exhibitions in Egypt and
abroad since 1956.
awards 1995 1st prize, ibiza biennial;
1985 prize for representing the middle
East and south-East asia in a competition
held in usa; 1987 the Golden sailing prize,
kuwait’s biennale; 1989 the prize of
Friedrickschtad triennial, norway.
medals 1979 Egypt’ medal for arts and
science, 1st class; 1979 Egypt’s prize of
merit; 1983 nobel Gold medal (com-
memorative Festival); 1992 order of merit
from spanish king Juan carlos; 1995 the
French officier order for arts and space ii, 1997 Mixed Media 40 x 30 cM /15½ x 12 in
sciences.
acquisitions in international museums
and institutions in Egypt, spain, norway,
usa, poland, Germany, yugoslavia,
morocco, Qatar, uaE, Jordan, saudi
arabia, and un.

address 54 dimashek st. mohendes-
sen, cairo Egypt. tel/Fax +20 2
3488279 tel +20 122141833

spEcial issuE 2000 world of art 11