Page 199 - Ahmed Fouad Selim
P. 199
ed Fouad Selim (Selim) 1936 - 2009
Magor Egyptian modern artist scince 60s, has played an unforgetable role in
forming artists groups, in addition to his sterling role as a top exhibition organizer
and curator .Multi-faceted artist: painting , and three-dimensional works are some of
his creations, in addition to poetry, a few engravings, and of course his matchless role
in art criticism in Egypt. His most recent periods in the past twenty years have been
lyrical abstraction, where surfaces are broken down into prismatic rain-bows, and care
taken to create cutting shocks ; he chooses center points which are untraditionally far
from each other; his last experiment affirms the power of the relationship between
the three unified elements: self , body and soul. For the spirit, Selim finds a three-
dimensional objective correlative which he situates and fixes in place out-side the
painting. This is behind his use of diverse combination of nontrade-tional media, and
his position as an icon in the Egyptian modern art movement.
»» Born in Damietta, Egypt, 1936/1/5.
»» since his childhood, Selim has shown great interest for painting and has
participated in drawing competitions. Since then, he decided to devote all his
life for Art and culture. He started his career as a painter in the sixties and has
presented numerous exhibitions, both personnel and collective, in Egypt, Europe,
USA and Arab countries. His last “one man show” was in 2008, just one year
before his death.
»» In the beginning, he worked as a government employee, but soon resigned in
1967 to get a better job as “Artistic and cultural adviser” at the Czechoslovak
Center in Cairo, where he organized many successful exhibitions, as well as
music concerts, cinema and theatre.
»» Resumed work for the government as Director of the Arts Centre, Zamalek,
“Mogama El-Fonun” 1975; participated with late artist, Abdel Hamid Hamdy in
selecting the name “The Arts Centre – Akhnatoun”, provided six professional art
galleries in addition to music, cinema and theatre events; contributed a great deal
to the renovation of the Arts Centre.
»» Submitted a proposal to establish the International Cairo Biennale to late artist
Abdel Hamid Hamdy, Head of the former General Organization of Arts and
Literature in 1977, resubmitted proposal to the National Centre of Fine Arts,
1981; first Biennale in 1984; becomes international in 1988.
»» One of the leading artists who worked on the foundation of a union for Egyptian
artists in 1965; together with Saleh Reda, Hamed Nada, Taha Hussein, Sayed
abdel Rasoul and others, put forward 142 clauses.
»» Lecturer on art and Art History at the Faculty of Specific Education for Arts and
Music, Dokki since 1992.
»» Member of the High Committee of the International Cairo Biennale.
197
Magor Egyptian modern artist scince 60s, has played an unforgetable role in
forming artists groups, in addition to his sterling role as a top exhibition organizer
and curator .Multi-faceted artist: painting , and three-dimensional works are some of
his creations, in addition to poetry, a few engravings, and of course his matchless role
in art criticism in Egypt. His most recent periods in the past twenty years have been
lyrical abstraction, where surfaces are broken down into prismatic rain-bows, and care
taken to create cutting shocks ; he chooses center points which are untraditionally far
from each other; his last experiment affirms the power of the relationship between
the three unified elements: self , body and soul. For the spirit, Selim finds a three-
dimensional objective correlative which he situates and fixes in place out-side the
painting. This is behind his use of diverse combination of nontrade-tional media, and
his position as an icon in the Egyptian modern art movement.
»» Born in Damietta, Egypt, 1936/1/5.
»» since his childhood, Selim has shown great interest for painting and has
participated in drawing competitions. Since then, he decided to devote all his
life for Art and culture. He started his career as a painter in the sixties and has
presented numerous exhibitions, both personnel and collective, in Egypt, Europe,
USA and Arab countries. His last “one man show” was in 2008, just one year
before his death.
»» In the beginning, he worked as a government employee, but soon resigned in
1967 to get a better job as “Artistic and cultural adviser” at the Czechoslovak
Center in Cairo, where he organized many successful exhibitions, as well as
music concerts, cinema and theatre.
»» Resumed work for the government as Director of the Arts Centre, Zamalek,
“Mogama El-Fonun” 1975; participated with late artist, Abdel Hamid Hamdy in
selecting the name “The Arts Centre – Akhnatoun”, provided six professional art
galleries in addition to music, cinema and theatre events; contributed a great deal
to the renovation of the Arts Centre.
»» Submitted a proposal to establish the International Cairo Biennale to late artist
Abdel Hamid Hamdy, Head of the former General Organization of Arts and
Literature in 1977, resubmitted proposal to the National Centre of Fine Arts,
1981; first Biennale in 1984; becomes international in 1988.
»» One of the leading artists who worked on the foundation of a union for Egyptian
artists in 1965; together with Saleh Reda, Hamed Nada, Taha Hussein, Sayed
abdel Rasoul and others, put forward 142 clauses.
»» Lecturer on art and Art History at the Faculty of Specific Education for Arts and
Music, Dokki since 1992.
»» Member of the High Committee of the International Cairo Biennale.
197
