Gazbia SIRRY (Égypte, 1925-2021)

The Opera of Cairo oil on isorel 36 x 59 cm signed middle left in Arabic and Latin Private collection Bologna, Italy Refusing to fit into the traditional art movement of his time, Gazbia Sirry replaced formal modernist rules with artistic conventions specific to Egypt to critically address women's rights, patriarchy, social justice and Western imperialism. A true iconic figure throughout seventy years of Arab history, Sirry creates mosaic-like paintings of social realism that still elicit multiple culturally marked interpretations. Despite his celebrated use of color, his art form continues to serve as an urgent and contemporary political act. The canon of Egyptian art history has always championed women. Unlike their Western contemporaries, Egyptian women artists have been both present and on equal footing with their male counterparts since the first Cairo Salon was held in 1921. Thus, a strong local activity of autonomous women painters has emerged over the last century. Exposed to the outside world, they challenged conventions, launched art movements, fought for women's rights, and in the process spoke for a nation. Gazbia Sirry (b. 1925) is one of these revolutionary women. From the article "Gazbia Sirry-When Modern Arab Form Meets Politics, Fatenn Mostafa-Kanafani, June 30, 2021"