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

Feature image: vaaju.com

Over the years, there have been many Egyptian heroes and heroines; too many to list in a few lines. How do their legacies and memories live on? Well, one part of it is that their immortal works are passed down from generation to generation, whether it’s Om Kalthoum for her music, Omar Sherif for his movies, the list goes on. Another part of it is an obligation on our part, as well as the government’s, towards these role models who have established such a strong following, which can be portrayed via commemoration ceremonies and exhibitions. One well-known example is the Egyptian museum to honour the Pharaohs.

But why are we talking about commemorations all of a sudden? Because there’s an exhibition coming up to celebrate the one and only, Naguib Mahfouz. Some of you might be thinking, “Oh great another exhibition, so what else is new?” Well, this show is executed in a manner that we don’t think has ever been used to memorialise such an iconic figure. What is it? It’s the method of depicting pictures or imitations of a person in which some striking characteristics are exaggerated to create a generally comic and memorable effect: Caricature! A few people might automatically think that this is an insult for such a historical and leading Egyptian figure. On the contrary, creating another typical display would be boring and impersonal, but caricature is another matter entirely as it brings that person closer to the public and fans through modern art.

According to Egypt Today, the Cultural Development Fund Sector, in cooperation with the Egyptian Cartoon Society, will organise the caricature exhibition, that will be entitled Naguib Mahfouz – World Paintings, which will be launched on August 4th (today) at 7 p.m. in the museum of the internationally acclaimed writer in Tekeyet Abul Dahab, next to Al-Azhar Mosque. It will include portraits of Mahfouz, painted by 40 artists from different countries, including Cuba, South Africa, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, China, Japan, Brazil, Russia, Morocco, and Spain, in addition to the paintings by Egyptian artists. It is also worth mentioning that these works were presented at the sixth session of the International Caricature Forum, which was established by the Egyptian Cartoon Society at Prince Taz Palace, in cooperation with the Fund Sector.

Take a quick look at some of the paintings on Egypt Today and the official Facebook page of the Egyptian Caricature Association.