Adel El Siwi

Adel El Siwi
listen to the beats
Adel El Siwi
November 9, 2015
In assocIatIon wIth
SPONSOR’S FORWARD
November 2015
Gargash Enterprises is delighted to be associated with
ARTSPACE gallery as an exclusive sponsor, highlighting
the stunning charismatic work of Adel El Siwi.
Adel El Siwi’s artwork has inspired and brought joy to
many lives, with a whimsical narration and energy that
each piece expresses. Adel El Siwi continues to do so
with each new series of works.
Encouraging the promotion of Middle Eastern art and
artists is something Gargash Enterprises is proud to
support.
Gargash Enterprises
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ABOUT ARTSPACE
Founded in 2003, ARTSPACE Dubai is dedicated
to the promotion of contemporary Middle Eastern
Art and Artists. ARTSPACE caters to the tastes and
trends of the sophisticated Dubai art scene and
the gallery’s discerning worldwide collector base.
Its global clientele includes private collectors, art
consultants, corporate art consultants, architects,
interior designers as well as corporations,
government, diplomatic and social VIPs. In addition
to hosting a series of diverse and regular highly
acclaimed exhibitions, ARTSPACE also provides
consulting for art investors as well as offering
corporate art services to the business community.
Local partnerships with internationally renowned
art houses and auction establishments have helped
push ARTSPACE to the forefront of the market.
ARTSPACE offers distinctive and unrivaled services
to its clients and artists.
Managing Director Maliha Al-Tabari opened a
second ARTSPACE location in London in 2012 in
order to further drive Middle Eastern art forward
and provide artists with a link between the East and
West. Additionally, the London gallery will cater to
ARTSPACE’s vast client base residing in the UK and
throughout Europe. The gallery has participated
in several local and international art fairs and
collaborated with numerous iconic art institutions.
It continues to be one of the art world’s leading
platforms for contemporary Middle Eastern art. 2013
marked ARTSPACE’s monumental 10th anniversary.
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Adel El Siwi
ALONG WITH THE BEAT
Adel El Siwi born in 1952 in Behera, Egypt. He studied
medicine at Cairo University between 1970 and 1976,
but simultaneously indulged in independent study at the
Faculty of Fine Arts between 1974 and 1975. In 1980 he
relocated to Milan in Italy, where he lived and worked for a
decade before moving back to Cairo, where he continues
to live and work.
Where does music emerge from and what is it’s final
destination?
This question itself implies a sense of constant flow,
a movement that abides by its own internal laws. The
notes pour out like a sequence of waves relentlessly
chasing each other according to an undeclared rhythm.
Might this be the secret of its charm?
El Siwi has had numerous solo shows at venues including
Mashrabia Gallery of Contemporary Art, Cairo (1988,
1990, 1992, 1993, 1995, 2006); Epreuve d’Artiste, Beirut
(1993); Accademia d’Egitto, Rome (1996); Ammar Farhat,
Tunis (2003); Al Riwaq, Manama (2003); Atassy Gallery,
Damascus (2004); French Cultural Center, Alexandria
(2005); Artspace, Dubai (2007, 2012); Mahmoud Khalil
Museum, Cairo (2010); Galerie Inception, Paris (2012).
Artspace London (2013)
He has participated in the Cairo Biennale (1996, 2008),
the Sharjah Biennial (1997), and the Venice Biennale
(2009). His work has been included in a number of group
exhibitions, among them Rencontres Africaines, Institut
du Monde Arabe, Paris (1994); Modernities and Memories,
Venice Biennale, (1997); Transafrican Art, Orlando
Museum, Miami, (2000); Word into Art: Artists of the
Modern Middle East, (organized by the British Museum),
Dubai (2008); Oum Kalsoum: La quatrième pyramide,
IMA, Paris (2008); ItaliaArabia, Chelsea Art Museum, New
York (2008). He was invited by “Le Laboratoire: Sculpture
urbaine” to project his work onto historical buildings in Rio
de Janeiro, Brazil (1996), Grenoble, France (2000), Alger,
Algeria, (2003).
In addition to his career as a visual artist, El Siwi has
translated numerous art historical texts into Arabic by
artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Paul Klee.
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The sound of music approaches me with arms wide
open, like a dear friend intent on wrapping me in their
embrace. A friend who never demands that I stop to
ponder, but rather urges me forth... encourages me to
lose myself in the passion for life. Music is not merely
background noise that punctuates my day nor is it a
backdrop for my work as a painter, it is a permanent
reassuring companion eternally by my side. When I
paint, it is the shield that protects my exposed flank
from Cairo’s boisterous rumblings. Cairo, my beloved
rowdy city....
When the music yanks me into its current, emotions
overflow and from here it all starts. Music in its whole,
not the tunes, not the sweet melodies and not the
haunting vocals but music in and of itself is a sufficient
stimulant.
These paintings are the result of my fascination since
childhood with musical instruments; their astonishing
forms and their effect on musicians when they play
them.. gestures, expressions or a simple meaningful
grimace. I am paying a modest homage to the
boundless generosity of music and its musicians.
GROUP
EXHIBITIONS
2014
Contemporary Egyptian Art – Egyptian Academy –
Rome - Italy
2012
25 years of contemporary Arab art – Institute du
Mond Arab- Paris
2011
Window on Contemporary Egyptian art - London
2009
Venice Biennal – Venice - Italy
2009
Helga Hoffman gallery, Amsterdam, Holland
2009
Invisible presence - curated by Stefania Angarano.
Samaakhan ,Cairo
2009
The Face – Ofok1- Cairo. Egypt
2008
Cairo biennale - Cairo, Egypt
2008
Arabia Italia: Chelsea Art Museum - New york,
U.S.A
2008
Word into Art - Artists of the Middle East, British
Museum: travelling exhibition (curated by Venetia
Porter), The British Museum, Dubai, UAE
Mediterranean Triology, Palais des Arts, Marseilles,
France
Arab artists in between Italian and Mediterranean
Traditions (curated by Martina Corgnati), Damascus,
Beirut, Cairo
2001
Contemporary Art in Egypt, Mexico City, Mexico
2000
Italian – Egyptian Contemporary Art Confrontation,
Gezira Art Center, Cairo
2000
Trans African Art, Orlando Museum of Modern Art,
Florida, USA
1999
A la nuit Tombée - virtual art show, Philippe Mouillon,
Grenoble, France
1999
12 Contemporary Egyptian Artists, The Arab World
Institute, Paris, France
1998
Bellektin - Moderling, Dolmabachi Cultural Center,
Istanbul, Turkey
1998
Days of Kom Ghurab, Hanager Art Center, Opera
House, Cairo, Egypt
1997
Venice Biennale: Modernities and Memories, recent
works from the Islamic world, Venice, Italy
1997
Biennale of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE
1997
Contemporary Egyptian Art, University of Lebanon,
Beirut
1997
Biennale of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
1997
Sans Frontières, Gallery Micheline Fallet, Geneva,
Switzerland
1996
Biennale of Sao Paolo, Sao Poalo, Brazil , parallel
works in Rio
1996
Cairo Biennale, Cairo, Egypt
1995
Lexus Hall, Jedda, Saudi Arabia
1995
Modern Egyptian Art Exhibition, Marseilles, France
1995
International Institute for Commerce, Mexico City,
Mexico
1994
The Arab World Institute, Paris, France
Rencontr Africaine National Gallery,
Johannesbourg, South Africa, Capetown, South
Africa, Lisbona, Portugal
2007
Occidentalism (curated by Karim Francis) The Swiss
hotel, Cairo, Egypt
2005
Al Azhar Park, Cairo, Egypt
2005
Mashrabia Gallery, Cairo, Egypt
2005
Fonoon Gallery, Cairo, Egypt
2005
Espace Karim Francis, Cairo, Egypt
2003
ARAB canvas (curated by Saleh Barakat) Dubai, UAE
2003
Arab paintings for Children (curated by Mohi Al
Labbad)
The Arab World Institute, Paris, France
2003
Repliques, Initiative of Philippe Mouillon, Algeria
2003
Human Face in Contemporary Egyptian Art,
Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Egypt
1994
British Institute, Cairo, Egypt
2002
Contemporary Egyptian Art, Beijing, China
1993
Modern Art Museum, New Delhi, India
2002
Ateliers Arabes, Unisco Hall, Beirut
1989
Ghury Palace, Cairo, Egypt
2002
18 International artists: Hommage to King Henry the
Fourth Initiative of Philippe Mouillon, Lyon, France
1986
Foreign Artists in Italy, Innocenti Palace, Florence,
Italy
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SOLO
EXHIBITIONS
OTHER
ACHIEVEMENTS
2013
Artspace Gallery - London, IK
1994
Art director in film Ya Donia ya Gharami, Egypt
2013
Inception Gallery - Paris, France
1995
2012
Artspace Gallery - Dubai, UAE
Translation and presentation of Leonardo da Vinci’s
Theory on Painting
2009
Contemporary Icons: Artspace, Dubai ,UAE
1996
2008
The Face and Beyond / Au delà du visage, Le Violon
Bleu, Tunisia
Initiator of Experimental Community Art - project in
Kom Ghurab, Old Cairo
1997
Editor of Ain, Visual Arts Magazine
1997
Member of the Supreme Council of Culture, Egypt
2001
Translation and presentation of Paul Klee’s Bauhaus
Lectures
2006
translation of Giuseppe Ungaretti’s Life of a man
2007
Siwi Faces Artspace, Dubai, UAE
2006
My stars Mashrabia gallery, Space Karim Francis,
Cairo, Egypt
2005
French Cultural Center, Alexandria, Egypt
2004
lllusion Art Gallery, Kuwait City, Kuwait
2003
Al Riwaq Gallery, Manama, Bahrain
2004
Atassi Gallery, Damascus, Syria
2004
Agial Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon
2003
Ammar Farhat Gallery, Tunisia
1999
Ekhnaton Gallery, Art Center Zamalek, Cairo, Egypt
1999
Vision Egyptienne d’Eternité, Ville d” Agde, France
1996
Egyptian Academy, Rome, Italy
1995
Mashrabia Gallery, Cairo, Egypt
1993
Mashrabia Gallery, Cairo, Egypt
1993
Epreuve d’ Artiste, Beirut, Lebanon
1992
Mashrabia Gallery, Cairo, Egypt
1990
Papiry Gallery, Berlin, Germany
1990
Mashrabia Gallery, Cairo, Egypt
1989
Koreuber Gallery, Berlin, Germany
1988
Mashrabia Gallery, Cairo, Egypt
1987
Cairo Atelier, Cairo, Egypt
1985
Cairo Atelier, Cairo, Egypt
1980
Cairo Atelier, Cairo, Egypt
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Black Masters I, 2015
Mixed Media on canvas
147 x 307 cm
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Black Masters II, 2015
Mixed Media on canvas
147 x 307 cm
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Peaceful TamTam I, 2015
Mixed Media on canvas
170 x 200 cm
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Peaceful TamTam II, 2015
Mixed Media on canvas
170 x 200 cm
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12
Orchestra, 2015
Mixed Media on Paper
385x225cm
(70x50cm each piece,
total of 21 pieces)
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Red Queen, 2015
Mixed Media on canvas
170 cm diameter
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Green Queen, 2015
Mixed Media on canvas
170 cm diameter
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Green Hat Band, 2015
Mixed media on paper
70 x 100cm
16
Seducing By Music, 2015
Mixed media on paper
70 x 100cm
17
Listen to the Beats, 2015
Mixed media on paper
70 x 100cm
18
Solo, 2015
Mixed media on paper
70 x 100cm
19
Summer Song, 2015
Mixed media on paper
70 x 100cm
20
The Baboon, 2015
Mixed media on paper
70 x 100cm
21
The Drummer, 2015
Mixed media on paper
70 x 100cm
22
The Musicians (Triptych) 2014
Mixed Media on Canvas
360x160 cm each panel
(360 x 480 cm overall)
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