10 - ‡ SALAH TAHER (EGYPTIAN 1911-2006)

‡ SALAH TAHER (EGYPTIAN 1911-2006) ABSTRACT COMPOSITION signed S. Taher lower left; signed and dated Salah Taher 97 in Arabic lower left oil on cardboard 34 x 48cm (54 x 69cm framed) Property from the Zulficar Family Collection, Alexandria Salah Taher played a significant role in Egyptian modernism, contributing to the development of the nation’s artistic identity. Born in Cairo, Taher began his career within the framework of academic realism, earning recognition as a portraitist among Egypt’s elite. A visit to the United States in the 1950s influenced his subsequent shift in style. Throughout his career, Taher’s art evolved from realism to figurative symbolism and later to contemporary abstraction. He moved from using brushes to palette knives, layering paint to create what he termed a universal language, a rhythmic, chromatic approach that aimed to cross cultural and linguistic boundaries. His work in abstraction influenced the direction of Egyptian modern art. Outside of painting, Taher was active in Egypt’s cultural scene. He graduated from Cairo’s Academy of Fine Art in 1934 and lectured there until 1954. He held several leadership positions, including Director of the Museum of Modern Art in Cairo, General Director of the Cairo Opera House, and head of the Society of Advocates of Fine Arts in the 1980s. He also worked as an artistic consultant for the Al-Ahram newspaper. Taher produced an estimated 15,000 paintings and held over 80 solo exhibitions internationally. His accomplishments include the Guggenheim Awards in 1959 and 1961, Mubarak Award in 2002, the State Incentive Award, and the Alexandria Biennale Award. His work has been shown in exhibitions across Egypt, Venice, New York City, San Francisco, Geneva, Beirut, Kuwait, and Jeddah. His paintings are included in collections such as the White House and the Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, establishing his place in the history of modern art.