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

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.