In the frame of the 56th edition of La Biennale di Venezia, the Egyptian Pavilion participates with a new artistic concept, designed by the Egyptian artists: Ahmed Abdel-Fatah, Maher Dawoud, and Gamal El-Kheshen, Commissar of the Egyptian pavilion is Hany el Ashakar. The Artists declared, upon winning the national competition launched by the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, that their contribution for La Biennale di Venezia will focus on the concept of peace, emphasizing the notion of inner peace.
The Installation represents (PEACE) the content status, which is the aim of human beings towards achieving the physiological peace.
Peace is the nature of creation, which all religions concurred upon, it is a neutral natural alignment, which makes a balance between construction and destruction Paradise or the ideal situation which we seek to achieve peace which varies from one person to the other.
The Art-Work raises two contradicting, twin ideas, which are destruction and construction, yet it is the law of the Creation Understanding this case depends on the intuitive vision beyond the reality, which sets our intention and reaction.. Work description and The Concept The Installation consists of five three dimensional shapes that forms letters of the word PEACE covered with grass.
Peace represents Arabic lingual equivalent for paradise that is related to planting and greening as well as it represents the inner peace for The Human being. For more understanding, we recommend reading hindi poems
Thus, the Audience seeks the path that achieves the word (PEACE), and represents the state that humans aim for whether aware or not aware of the entire truth. In that regards, the viewer can set a program of augmented reality on his cellular before entering the hall, and when applicating this program on the phone screen or laptop or display screens inside the hall, will see two options, one negative and one positive, then the viewer chooses one. And observes the embodied in a different case the five letters switch to ten different scenes five positive and negative and deals The realistic interaction of the user by touching the screen for example, when trying to extinguish the fire with his hand on running away from fear when touching an animal. This programmed application in the Concept represents the knowledge of human being that affects his vision for the truth, and his vision in the formation of the peace that he wants under his own perspective. Here in this mini-universe lies an opportunity to the Audience to see a general vision for a smaller universe to help him understand his real size and place in the universe and realize that there is what is the most comprehensive , so while he stands under the umbrella of (PEACE) without full awareness of it, sees a smaller umbrella that he can control from his higher position. This leads to an inner peace resulting from the awareness and understanding based on the changes in ratios the word “PEACE” is created in a 3-dimensional form which is covered with grass. The visitors will go through a virtual journey which will allow them to immerge themselves in an atmosphere of harmony and peace. However, technology of the 21st century will enable to enhance the value of this virtual journey and the confrontation between the two eternal choices of the human life: light/virtue and dark/vice. This will be possible through the use of tablets attached to the installation, allowing the visitors to use the augmented reality mobile application, as they will be asked to select between the two different paths of life, in order to experience the embodied results of their choices.
Maher Dawoud
In 1983, Maher Dawoud was born in Cairo, Egypt where he currently lives and
works.
In 2005, He received his BFA from the Mural painting department in the
Faculty of Fine Arts, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt. After that he started
as an Instructor in the faculty he was graduated from.
In 2009, He received his MFA from the same faculty under the title
“The Artistic values of the linear composition in German colored glass”.
In 2013, He obtained his PHD from the same faculty as well under the title
“The employment of mosaics in installation art (analytical and comparative
study) “.
Dawoud currently works as a teacher at the faculty of fine arts, mural
department, as well as participating in various Mosaics Projects and
exhibitions in and outside Egypt.
He is a randomly collector of any primitive, natural materials he find on his
way, like shells on the beach, small wooden pieces, stones, metal pieces,
fractured plates and mugs. He use glass bottles burned in a kiln reaching up
900 degree Celsius. He says that while collecting them he actually has no
clear idea of what he is going to do using those materials. Although, he is
sure that he will find their new and real place in this world.
For Dawoud, The interaction between him, the work and the viewer is his
priority and aim in order to create his installations and to give the work a
living spirit.
Dawoud’s work is mainly divided into projects. Every project has its own
character , technique and materials.
He works on contemporary Mosaic, making Mosaic Videos , composing a
Mosaic Music, Mosaic Photography , sculpture extra ...
Exhibitions
• The 56th International Art Exhibition , Egyptian Pavilion, Venice Biennial ,
ITALY , 2015.
• North - South Project , Alexandrian bibliotheca , European union , Egypt ,
2015.
• Fine Arts and community service. 1st international conference , Faculty of
Fine Arts- Luxor , 2015 .
• Solo Mosaic Exhibition , Desert and Fire works , Faculty of Fine Arts Gallery
– Cairo , Egypt , 2015.
• Mosaic Arts International ,SAMA Exhibition , Philadelphia , USA , 2015.
• The third Upper Egypt Salon , Luxor , 2015 .
• Musiwa - international art and contemporary mosaic exibition , Florence ,
Italy . 2015.
• Musiwa - international art and contemporary mosaic exibition , Florence ,
Italy . 2014 .
• Work owned as a private collection by the Fine Art Museum, Zamalk ,Cairo,
Egypt . 2014.
• 10°Rencontres Internationales de Mosaïque , Chartres , France . 2014 .
• The City - BAMM - Miniatures Exhibition - London , UK . 2014
• The National Exhibition - Cairo Opera House - Cairo, Egypt. 2014
• Exhibition at the Glass Museum - Weigelsdorf, Austria. 2014.
• XIV AIMC World Conference of Contemporary Mosaic - Vienna, Austria.
2014
• IMAGO MUNDI Project - Rome - Italy. 2014
• Solo Mosaic Exhibition at the Faculty of Fine Arts Gallery – Cairo, 2013.
• International Painting Symposium , culture of cosmos, Patras, Greece, 2013.
• The conference Exhibition of the Arabian colleges of fine arts society ,
Zamalk , Cairo , Egypt , 2013
• First and second future youth fine arts exhibition for world peace, Cairo
,Egypt 2009, 2010
• Solo Stained Glass Exhibition at the Faculty of Fine Arts Gallery – Cairo,
Egypt ,2009.
• Silver Jubilee exhibition, Minia University,Minia, Egypt , 2009
• Various group exhibitions at the Fine arts Faculty Gallery, Cairo ,Egypt
,2006, 2007, 2008
• Ministry of culture exhibition,Cairo,Egypt , 2004, 2005
• The annual Saloon of small art works , centre of art , Zamalk,Cairo ,Egypt,
2004
• The annual Saloon of small art works , centre of art , Zamalk ,Cairo ,Egypt,
2003
Work Experience
Instructor, 2006 - 2009
Faculty of Fine arts , Mural painting department , Helwan University.
Course: Modern Art History, Mosaic and Stained Glass.
Teaching Assistant, 2010-2012
Faculty of Fine arts , Mural painting department , Helwan University.
Courses: Drawing, Modern Art History and Stained Glass.
Teacher, 2013-
University of Helwan, Faculty of Fine arts , Mural painting department ,
Helwan University.
Courses: Modern Art History and Contemporary Mosaics.
Email : [email protected]
Mob : +2 0100 91 811 4
FB : www.facebook.com/maherdawoudmosaics
website:www.maherdawoud.com
Gamal El Kheshen
My name is Gamal El Kheshen, I graduated in 2010 with a B.A. Design from
the Department of Fine Arts, University of Helwan, Zamalek. I completed my
Masters Of Fine Arts (MFA) in 2013. My thesis was entitled "Printed Artwork
in Pop Art and the Effect of Advertising ". I am currently pursuing my doctoral
studies, my main research focus is on "Philosophy of Documented Historical
Events through the Contemporary Arts".
I currently work as Teacher Assistant at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Helwan
University, Zamalek, Cairo where I teach Drawing, Printmaking and Design.
My artwork focuses on Visual Arts, Contemporary Arts , drawing, painting,
digital print making, engraving and the visual arts. please feel free to connect
with me on the links below.
-Website:www.gamalelkheshen.com
-Email:[email protected]
-Mobile:+20100 880 4062
-FaceBook:www.facebook.com/gamal.kheshen
-Twitter:@Gelkheshen
-Instagram:@Gelkheshen
University Education:
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts, Graphic design department
Helwan University – Cairo, Egypt
Graduation Year: 2009
Total grade: Excellent with excellence
Ranking Number : One
POST-GRADUATE STUDIES
University Education:
(MFA) - Master of Fine Arts , Faculty of Fine Arts
Helwan University -Cairo, Egypt
Year:2013
University Education:
working on my (PhD) Research - Doctor of Philosophy, Faculty of Fine Arts
Helwan University -Cairo, Egypt-2015.
Exhibition-history
2015 Venice Biennale 56, Egyptian Pavilion , Venice , Italy.
2015 Beijing Biennale , Beijing , China.
2015 upper Egypt Salon , Luxor , Egypt.
2015 Rom-Art , Roma , Italy.
2015 North-South , European union Art Culture event for discovering Egypt.
2015 Tokyo International Mini-Print Triennial , Japan.
2015 Agenda Art Exhibition , Bib-Alex ,Alexandria , Egypt.
2014 Youth Salon, The Arts palace , Cairo opera house , Cairo ,
2014 International biennale de water color , Fabian, Italy.
2014 local arts exhibition events in Cairo.
2014 Biennial of Small Graphic Form Niklaas,Belgium.
2014 Gabrovo International Biennale of Humour and Satire in the Arts,
Bulgaria.
2013 The BIMPE (Biennial International Miniature Print Exhibition)
Vancouver BC, CANADA.
2013 Contemporary Art Exhibition , Art Basel, United Stats of America
2013 National Biennial of Contemporary Prints , Spain.
2013 International Print Biennial ROC.
2012 International biennale de water color , Febriano, Italy.
2012 lntergraflk Triennial of Engaged Graphic Art.
2012 The Icelandic Printmakers’ Association.
2011 Seoul International Print Biennale , South Korea
2011 International Triennial Color in Graphic Art - Torun.
2011 local arts exhibition events in Cairo.
2010 group of Arabian artist exhibition , Tunis and Jordon and Egypt.
2010 local arts exhibition events in Cairo.
2009 graduation art exhibition Cairo opera house Egypt.
205-209 local arts exhibition events in Cairo.
Ahmed Abdel Fattah
1977 born in Cairo- Egypt
2000 graduated from the faculty of the fine arts, Helwan University with
excellence grade and on the same year nominated to be demonstrator at
department of sculpture, faculty of fine arts, and Helwan University.
2007 obtained masters degree in sculpture.
Exibitions:
1997 participation in the first international trienale for art students ,
Istanbul- Turkey.
2002 participation in the 5th salon of small pieces – Cairo.
20021 participation in the 4th youth salon,Cairo.
2003 exhibition at shomoo gallery ,Maadi- Cairo.
2003 participation in the 6th salon of small pieces – Cairo.
2003 participation in the 15th youth salon,Cairo.
2003 participation in the 28th national exhibition Cairo.
2004 group exhibition in (s) hall , Rome– Italy.
2004 group exhibition in (5+5) gallery,Cairo.
2004 participation in the 16th youth salon.
2004 ( Fine Arts Friends) association exhibition – Cairo.
2004 Rateb Seddik's award exhibition, Cairo atelier.
2004 exhibition of contemporary Egyptian art, Athens- Greece.
2004 participation in (Meeting of the Stones) symposium in Mahmoud
Moukhtar museum –El Gazira- Cairo.
2005 private exhibition in (Fonoon) gallery- Cairo .
2005 private exhibition , Cairo atelier.
2005 participation in the 17th youth salon,Cairo.
2006 private exhibition in( Khan Maghrabi) gallery - Cairo.
2006 contemporary Egyptian art exhibition -Toledo- Spain
2007 "100mm." exhibition in ( Art El Lewaa) Gallery - Cairo.
2007 youth plastic artists exhibition - Paris-France.
2008 "Out Of The Circle" exhibition -(Khan Ambar) -Damascus-Syria.
2008 work shop at (All Art Now) center, Damascus-Syria
2008 participation in the fine arts faculty millennium celebration.
2008 (EL BAYT) magazine exhibition for Egyptian contemporary art at
(Horizon1 Hall)- Cairo.
2009 Aswan international Symposium for granite -Aswan
2010 Aswan international Symposium for granite - Aswan
2010 marble and granite exhibition- conference hall -cairo
2010 (three dimension) exhibition -Taha Hussien Museum – El Giza
2012 (shift Delete 30 )exhibition -Saad Zghloul Museum and Art Center-
Cairo
2012 (Super Market ) exhibition -El Gazira Art Center- Cairo
2013 Solo exhibition -El Gazira Art Center- Cairo
2013 National exhibition
2014 Solo exhibition - the Four Seasons Hotel
2014 (El Mawled) exhibition - Ward Gallery-Dubai
2014 Group exhibition -Egyptian Academy –Rome –Italy
2014 Group exhibition – El Ahram Salon –EL AHRAM Agency-Cairo
2014 Youth Salon Celebration exhibition
Prizes and Awards:
1997 traveling Grant to Italy
2003 traveling Grant to Poland
2003 sculpture prize in shomoo gallery
2004 1st prize in Rateb Seddik sculpture award
2004The sculpture prize in (Fine Arts Friends) association.
2004 1st prize in sculpture youth salon.
2005 3rd prize in sculpture at the 17th youth salon
2012 A full-time grant From the Egyptian Ministry of Culture
2013 A full-time grant From the Egyptian Ministry of Culture
Acquisition:
The museum of Egyptian modern art- Cairo.
Al Fostat Ceramic Center - Al Fostat- Cairo
(All art now) center Damascus Syria.
Child Museum of Civilization and creativity-Cairo.
Contact:
Website:www.ahmedabdelfattah.com.Email:
[email protected]:+2-0114-4135269.
Hany Al Ashkar Ph.D.
Official name: Hany Abdel-Hady Saleh Darwish
Address: 6 Mohamed Thaqeb St., Faculty of Fine Arts, Graphic Dept., Zamalek,
Cairo, Egypt.
Web Site: www.hanyalashkarart.com
E-mail: [email protected][email protected]
Mob.: (+2) 0100 6610 131
About
1974 Born in Cairo, grew up in Al-Arish, North Sinai.
1997 Graduated with excellent degree, first in rank, obtained his B.A., with
honor degree from the Faculty of Fine Arts - Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt.
1997 Occupied the post of Assistant Teacher at the Faculty of Fine Arts -
Helwan University.
2001-2002 Participated in various graphic courses and workshops during his
residence in Italy.
2006 M.F.A., Faculty of Fine Arts - Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt.
These: “The Role of Graphic Art in Web Design”.
2014 Ph.D., Faculty of Fine Arts - Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt.
These: “Philosophical and Aesthetic dimensions of the Interactivity in Multimedia
Graphic Designs”.
Expiations
2009/2011 Biplotica Alexandrina Mini print Biennale, Alexandria, Egypt.
December 2009 Universi senza confine, Rome, Italy.
November 2008 Participated at the artistic book of Mediterranean International
workshop, Urbino, Italy.
April 2008 KAUS group expiation for artistic engraving, Bologna, Italy.
August 2007 (San Mare Biennale), Paris, France.
November 2007 (young Egyptian artists Expiation) Paris, France.
February 2007 (Percorsi dell’Incisione Contemporania da Valencia a Urbino).
November 2006 Group Expiation with International artists, Organized by Kaus
association, Urbino, Italy.
April, 2006 (Group Expiation with Italian artists) Urbino, Italy.
January 2006 “Misr International Print Triennial” - Cairo, Egypt
2005 Graphic art Expiation at the Egyptian Academy in Rome, Italy.
April, 2004 3ed National Graphic Expiation, Cairo, Egypt.
August, 2003 “Graphic Expiation” – Zamalek art gallery, Giza, Cairo.
April, 2003 “Mahaba” Biennale - Lazeqia, Syria.
May, 2002 “Misr International Print Triennial” - Cairo, Egypt.
June, 2002 “In Torno Alla Luce” exhibition at (L’oro nel tempo per L’arte) Gallery,
Lodi, 0 0 Italy.
December, 2002 Final Expiation at the Egyptian Academy in Rome, Italy.
December, 2002 “ Diari di Lavoro di Artisti Stranieri a Roma “ Exhibition at the
National Gallery of Modern Art in Rome, Italy.
July, 2002 “3ed Florence International Biennale for contemporary art”- Florence,
Italy.
March, 2002 “Sogni di Vita” Exhibition at the University of Foreign, Perugia, Italy.
2000 The 5th National Port Said Biennale, Port Said, Egypt.
1999 Misr International Print Triennial, Cairo, Egypt.
•The 5th Sapporo International Print Biennale, Japan.
•“Al Robaai” - Group Exhibition at the gallery of Al-Gezira Sporting Club, Cairo,
Egypt .
•“Eqaat Badawa” at Al-Arish Cultural center, Al Arish, Egypt.
•Exhibition held within a competition organized by Semeramis Intercontinental,
Cairo, Egypt.
•Artists Exhibition at Dega Gallery, Cairo, Egypt.
•Telepathy at the Gallery of Faculty of Fine Arts, Cairo Egypt.
1997-98-99-2000 Autumn Salon for mini-prints, Cairo, Egypt.
1999-2000 Salon of Youth 11& 12, Cairo, Egypt.
1997-1999 General National Exhibition, Cairo, Egypt.
1998 “Hafr” Exhibition at Toot Gallery, Cairo, Egypt.
1998 “15 Artists Exhibition” at Dr. Ragab Gallery, Cairo, Egypt.
1996 Group Exhibition at Helwan University, Giza, Egypt.
1996 Group Exhibition at the Higher Council of Youth and Sports, Giza, Egypt.
1994-95-96 Group Exhibitions at the Gallery of Fine Arts Gallery. Giza, Egypt.
1986 Al-Arish Young Artist Exhibition at Al-Massaid Cultural Palace, El-Arish,
Egypt.
Awards and Honors
2006 Award of Honor at the “Misr International Print Triennial”.
2003 2nd prize at the “Mhaba Biennale of Art”, Lazeqia, Syria.
2001 5th prize at the “3ed Biennale of Contemporanea Art”, Florence, Italy.
2001 “Prize of Rome” an international award from the Egyptian Ministry of
Culture.
2000 First Prize in the Fine Arts Contest (Egypt Yesterday and Today) organized
by
Semiramis Inter- Continental, Cairo, Egypt.
1999 Collection Award from the General National Exhibition, Cairo, Egypt.
1998-99-2000 Collection Award from Autumn Salon for mini-prints, Egypt.
1997 Excellence Award from “Giza Association of Artists, Writers and Mediators”,
Giza, Egypt.
Collections
Modern Art Museum, Giza, Egypt.
Alexandria Library, Alexandria, Egypt.
The National Bank, USA.
Collectors in Germany, Canada, USA, Italy
Egyptian Pavilion within the 56th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia March, 2015 In the frame of the 56th edition of La Biennale di Venezia, the Egyptian Pavilion participates with a new artistic concept, designed by the Egyptian artists: Ahmed Abdel-Fatah, Maher Dawoud, and Gamal El-Kheshen. The Artists declared, upon winning the national competition launched by the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, that their contribution for La Biennale di Venezia will focus on the concept of peace, emphasizing the notion of inner peace. The Installation which presents the word “PEACE” is created in a 3-dimensional form which is covered with grass. The visitors will go through a virtual journey which will allow them to immerge themselves in an atmosphere of harmony and peace. However, technology of the 21st century will enable to enhance the value of this virtual journey and the confrontation between the two eternal choices of the human life: light/virtue and dark/vice. This will be possible through the use of tablets attached to the installation, allowing the visitors to use the augmented reality mobile application, as they will be asked to select between the two different paths of life, in order to experience the embodied results of their choices.
The two possible choices represent the path of human knowledge which tends to lead to the truth and inner peace and serenity.
The experience of the journey throughout the exhibition can be re-lived by the visitors, reusing the mobile application, in different places and environments. This way, the message of peace will spread, which further caters to the basis of the “Can You See?” project. This experience can be shared with those who did not have the opportunity to visit the pavilion, by downloading the application from the following link: biennalevenezia-egypt.com
The details of the Egyptian Pavilion at La Biennale di Venezia and the artists are available at the following links:
Facebook: Egyptian Pavilion at 56 Venice Biennal Twitter: @egyptbiennale56 For further questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Exhibition Commissioner, Dr. Hany Al-Ashkar, at the following link: Email: [email protected]