18-02-2025
Medhat Shafik's ‘Odyssey' on show at Riyadh's Errm Gallery
RIYADH: Riyadh's Errm Gallery is hosting an exhibition by Italy-based Egyptian artist Medhat Shafik until March 31.
Titled 'Odyssey,' the showcase features select works by the artist who won Egypt's first Venice Biennale award in 1995.
Shafik, born in El-Badari, Egypt, in 1956, has lived and worked in Italy since 1976. He graduated from Milan's fine arts Brera Academy with a diploma in painting and set design. Shafik built up a reputation for blending the colors and lines of Orientalist art forms with the visual vocabulary of Western avant-garde movements.
'This is my first exhibition in Riyadh,' Shafik remarked to Arab News. 'I found it very welcoming and hospitable. This was expected, as the people of the Gulf and the Arab world have a long history dating back to the time of the Pharaohs. I feel a close connection between these ancient civilizations; it resonates with my travels.'
Inspired by the poetry of Greek poet Constantine P. Cavafy, the exhibition explores the concept of 'life (as) a continuous journey, filled with experiences that enrich our understanding of existence,' the artist explained.
Known for his use of mixed media, the artist often employs materials that have been discarded. 'I feel like an archaeologist, digging to uncover fragments of history,' he said.
One unique piece depicts an archaeological formation resembling a half-moon, with mixed media mounted on a large-scale canvas.
