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Al-Ahram Weekly

Eyes wide open - Culture - Al-Ahram Weekly

Ancient Egyptian art has inspired sculptors such as Gamal El-Segeny, Adam Henein, Ahmed Abdel-Wahab and Hassan Kamel. One of the latest collections in this vein is the exhibition The Earth's Memory (15 June-7 July) by the young artist Engy Omara: 61 clay sculptures in various sizes. The gallery's largest hall felt like an Egyptian museum, where dozens of small and medium-sized sculptures are shown. On two shelves, many small pieces are arranged neatly just the way they would be shown in museums. 'I have always been impressed by museum exhibits. I wanted to create an atmosphere resembling a museum, which is where I usually spend my free time, especially the newly renovated Greco-Roman Museum in Alexandria,' she said at the gallery. Born and raised in Alexandria, Omara is a 2017 graduate of the sculpture department at Alexandria University's Faculty of Fine Arts. She started her career a year before her graduation and is currently studying for her Masters degree on Fayoum pottery. The artist's fascination with ancient Egyptian sculpture preceded her participation in the Aswan International Sculpture Symposium in 2020. She mentions her mentor, the late, prominent painter and sculptor Ahmed Abdel-Wahab, who sparked her interest in ancient Egyptian sculpture and clay sculpture. The art of Ptolemaic and Roman Alexandria is also a source of inspiration. Her debut exhibition, Terracotta, was held at Mulk Art Space in Alexandria in 2023. It followed a three-month workshop in Fayoum sponsored by Sawirias Foundation in collaboration with the Fayoum Art Centre in 2022. 'It was like a magical journey into a different universe, where Egyptian art and sites like the Whale Valley were great inspirations,' she said. The influence of the Fayoum mummy portraits and Coptic art are clearly evident in this work. As a potter Omara's visit to Fayoum was very significant as she spent time in the three main villages known for pottery: Tunis, Al-Nazla and Kom Ausheem. Each has its own techniques. 'It was there that I learned a lot about a legacy that goes back to even before ancient Egyptian times.' For the artist, The Earth's Memory refers to the history of all beings and fauna who ever lived on earth. 'The word memory also refers to my own memories and my short history on earth,' she added. 'Clay is associated with the earth. We were all created from clay. During the process of clay sculpture, I was overwhelmed by philosophical questions about creation. I am equally inspired by ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses. One god is Khnum, the god of fertility and creation, often depicted with a potter's wheel symbolising his role in shaping bodies from clay, which yielded amazing images.' The collection on show is divided into many series, each has a subtitle, such as The Owl, Portraits, Lamentation... Night's Mirror from the Owl series, the biggest piece on show, depicts a brown owl, in a long body, with its wide eyes and hooked nose. For the artist, the owl, which is a sacred symbol in Greek and ancient Egyptian mythology, is a mirror reflecting inner vision, intuition and wisdom. As a child, Omara loved to make moulds with colored play dough and build castles on the Mediterranean sand. 'I tried many materials, but ultimately fell in love with clay. One good thing about using clay as a material is the direct sculpting process. There is no medium between me and the clay, no tools — only my fingers. This is why it can absorb my true feelings.' Most portraits and self-portraits reflect an air of sadness and uncertainty. A self-portrait from the Lamentation series is titled Traces of Departure. It depicts a human face, eyes wide open, without a neck or hair, communicating feelings of loss, astonishment and the internal void. 'It is due to the shock of the sudden death of my older brother last year. It was not intentional. I realised later that some portraits reflect the position of my brother as he lay on his hospital bed for several days, his arms on his chest like a mummy.' The artist was also inspired by Neith, an ancient Egyptian goddess associated with war, wisdom and creation. 'Studying images and meanings associated with the goddess, I felt that she recreated me, that I wanted to rise again after the shock of losing my brother.' That is why the Amphoras series makes up a good part of the collection. They have many meanings, but they principally refer to women's bodies as memory holders. Each piece is a fusion of ancient amphora structure with the head of an animal or a birds representing gods and goddesses who have inspired the artist, such as Sekhmet and Anubis. 'Generally, I like the form of the vessel. For me, they are a symbol of femininity. Women are secret and heritage keepers, just like clay vessels,' she said. There is also a series of Canopic jars and strange creations representing reincarnation. Omara spends a great deal of time in her studio in Alexandria. 'I love to work for long hours. I rarely go out of my studio.' Each piece, she mentioned, is the product of a moment of meditation, part of an unwritten autobiography. This is proved by the huge collection on show, all produced in the past year. 'I have learned,' she said in her exhibition statement, 'that art is not just a product of a certain vision, but also a product of silence, meditation and a profound conversation between the material and the spiritual.' Compulsory Silence, a series of self-portraits depicting a small-sized face in greyish green, with eyes wide open and flowers instead of mouths. Each sculpture represents an open invitation to the viewer to contemplate the meaning of silence. 'I think I still need to develop the concept of vessels in my upcoming work,' she says. 'Actually, I haven't decided on my next project yet, but it could be a mixed media project. I like mosaic art, and that could work well with clay, as both are interwoven with nature.' * A version of this article appears in print in the 24 July, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link: