CAIRO - The American University in Cairo Press publishes beautiful art books. They can undoubtedly take a place of honour in anybody’s library.
‘Twentieth-Century Egyptian Art " The Private Collection of Sherwat Shafei’ by Mona Abaza (AUC Press, February 2011) is no exception. Some publisher notes:
“Mona Abaza retraces the highlights of the country's twentieth-century art world through the private collection of Sherwet Shafei.
The 200 colour reproductions of paintings from her collection represent works from early pioneers such as Mahmoud Saeed and Ragheb Ayad to later figures such as Hamed Nada and Youssef Sida.
The author also addresses the tendencies of emerging art collectors in Egypt's "blossoming" market, the burdens of forgery, and the impact of globalisation on the art industry.”
The book is well-structured; it begins with an essay that focuses on Sherwat Shafei’s unique biography, professional life and experience; it gives an insight into the Egyptian art scene, its history and connection to the wider Arabic art world. In some cases, I would have liked Mona Abaza to dig a bit deeper: why did some widows, who initially refused to sell their deceased painter husbands’ work, give in eventually?
There are many instances in art history where one person’s gain was another’s loss. Some aspects of Abaza’s essay are already history. Farouk Hosni is no longer Culture Minister. History is presently painting its own bold strokes on the canvas of Egypt. This will undoubtedly have a profound impact on the art scene.
The main part of the book consists of a catalogue of Shafei’s collection, while Shafei herself contributes with interesting notes to each represented work. The book would not be complete without biographies of the artists.
‘Twentieth-Century Art’ took six years from inception to being published. Its author Mona Abaza holds chairs at Lund University in Sweden and the American University in Cairo. She has written several books.
The content is meticulously researched; Abaza met with Shafei on countless occasions and gained insight into the labyrinthine workings of the Egyptian art scene.
Maybe I should use the plural here: Egypt has, just like any other country, more than one art scene, concentrating on Cairo and Alexandria.
The overall art scene is more or less divided into two areas; private galleries and those run by the Ministry of Culture. They compete, complement each other and overlap. Inevitably you find major movers and shakers in both.
Sherwet Shafei, or Madame Sherwet, as she is known on the art scene, is one of the main protagonists. As stated in the book, her influence is vast. She is among the few who decide which unknown artist has a future and which one is doomed to oblivion.
Her gallery is part of a magic triangle of private galleries on or around Brazil Street in Zamlek. Correction: when a fourth gallery opened nearby a couple of years ago, the triangle became a rectangle.
The other hub of important private galleries can be found across the Nile in Downtown Cairo.
But let’s return to the book. When you look at the photos it becomes obvious that, in terms of style, Shafei’s focus was (or is) on representational if not figurative paintings.
There are some abstract ones and also some sculptures. Many of the prominent artists of the end of the 20th century are not represented, and I don’t mention this as a criticism; art collectors have their preferences.
What I fail to detect is a clear line, although Madame Sherwet once told me that “her gallery has a particular style.” (The only gallery in Cairo that does, in my view, is the one tucked away behind a crumbling palace and squeezed between car repair shops off Champollion Street in downtown Cairo).
Again, it’s all about business, it’s all about money. But it needs to be said that, unlike some other gallery owners, Shafei loves art and has dedicated her life to it. The book shows that her insight into the Egyptian art world and its history is extensive and encyclopaedic.
I hope that one day she will write her autobiography. It will be a fascinating read about a life that witnessed two careers and (so far) three political regimes, huge changes in Egyptian society and culture, and above all a profound glimpse into the more hidden aspects of the Egyptian art world and its inhabitants.
But we don’t need to wait too impatiently. ‘Twentieth-Century Egyptian Art ��" The Private Collection of Sherwat Shafei’ is already full of material for art historians, sociologists and lovers of Egyptian art.
