The curated show of Farida El Gazzar’s smallpaintings is conceived as a journal inspiredby Egypt, reflecting upon the socio-politicalaspects of the mundane. The Greek-Egyptianartist presents a thought-provoking andvisually stimulating installation in dialoguewith a disappearing era which the artist strivesto illuminate. These paintings of buildings,ordinary objects, and moments portrayed inthe artist’s unique style serve as symbolsof resistance and timelessness. Drawinginspiration from artists like David Hockneyand Edward Hopper, as well as manuscripts,Byzantine icons, and the poetry of C. P. Cavafy,El Gazzar explores how an object’s socialstatus is offset by its material value. Theportrait of urban life that is depicted here isno less than an X-ray of the human conditionwhere solemnity goes hand in hand withlightness, and glory co-exists with kitsch.
