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I am an Egyptian girl with unhealthy appetite for makeup. clothes, and everything pink and girly.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

The Hive

 It certainly been a while since last time I posted about something artistic. I missed my Artistic Thursday posts, who missed it too? That's why I am back today to post about this must attend art event.

Gallery Ward in Dubai announces the unveiling of the highly anticipated solo exhibition THE HIVE, featuring a series of commissioned artwork by the contemporary Egyptian artist Ahmed Kassim. From 29 January – 7 March, art aficionados are invited to discover the unique satirical style used in Kassim’s vibrant canvas paintings, reflecting the socio-political culture in Egypt today.By definition, a beehive is an enclosed structure in which bee colonies live, raise their young and create and store their food. Typically a hive is a metaphor for a very tightly packed group of cells. They tend to be densely populated and swarming with activity. Throughout history, beehives have been commonly used as a symbol for many things.

In this exhibition, the curator brings forth the idea of the hive as a metaphor for everyday life, within a given physical space, over a period of time. The artist, Ahmed Kassim has therefore created a specially commissioned series of acrylic on canvas paintings with his personal culturally specific interpretation of this highly charged concept. Gallery Ward was established in Cairo and now with a branch in Dubai and with plans to open soon in Riyadh, each providing unique manifestations of Ward’s overarching vision.


Ahmed Kassim graduated in 2007 from The Faculty of Fine Arts at Helwan University in Cairo, Egypt. Ever since moving to Egypt in 2002, Kassim participated in various collective exhibitions around Egypt, including, Cairo, Alexandria and Luxor as well as Doha, Qatar. His work was featured annually at the 18 to 23 Youth Salons,Palace of Arts, Opera House in Cairo Egypt (2007-2012), where he won first prize for his paintings.


 In 2001, Kassim debuted his first solo exhibition at the renowned Safarkhan Art Gallery in Cairo, where he has continued to hold annual solo exhibitions. Kassim’s caricature like and satirical vibrant style employed in his paintings,conjure an accurate reflection of the popular socio-political culture in Egypttoday. With post-revolution conflict and chaos spilling over the streets of Cairo,Kassim portrays an iconographic narrative that reads like an unfolding story, albeit unstructured and chaotic. The effective signs all relevant to contemporary culture help the viewer connect the dots and create a fragmented yet charming snapshot of current times, one that signifies elements of ideologies in Egypt today.


Ward is located in AL Quoz district St. 6, next to The Courtyard, Al Quoz, interchange 3, Al Manara, Dubai.
Opening hours: Saturday - Thursday Timings:10am - 6pm.Tel: +9714 3883204/ www.galleryward.com
Facebook: Gallery Ward
Instagram :#GalleryWard

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