Celebrating Sagini

Catch the last few days of Gamal El-Sagini's Retrospective, showing at the Zamalek Art Gallery until May 8.

The exhibition, which opened last week, features a series of paintings depicting arousit el-moulid candy dolls that portray Sagini’s love for local culture. “Each painting documents an important event in Egypt’s modern-day history, starting from the war in 1967 (El Naksa), and ending with the liberation of Sinai in 1976.





The moulid doll suffers many ailments in these paintings, and yet, despite the sadness felt in the broken or even hanged body of each doll, she remains colorful and beautiful. To Sagini, these candy dolls are Egypt: A survivor in vibrant colors despite the tragedies it has been through,” according to the gallery.





Zamalek Art Gallery also sheds light on the iconic statue of diva Um Kulthoum crafted by Sagini. “Um Kulthum's music is felt through her inimitable voice, as one could hear her music through Gamal's unique vision of the world-renowned singer, or in the words of the writer Tharwat Okasha, ‘The eye listens and the ear sees,’” according to the gallery’s Facebook page.




In parallel with the retrospective, Zamalek Art Gallery launched El Sagini's Centennial , published by AR Group. The book will be available at Diwan Bookstores soon.





Gamal El-Sagini is hailed as the successor to the legendary Mahmoud Mokhtar, and his sculptures are appreciated worldwide. Of his most famous pieces is the statue of the Prince of Poets, Ahmed Shawky, currently residing at the gardens of the gorgeous Villa Borghese in Rome, where the works of Masters such Bernini, Titian and Caravaggio call home.