Mohamed Abla

Working with painting, installation, and engravings, Mohamed Abla integrates folktales and imagery from the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia into politically contemporary works. One of Egypt’s most acclaimed contemporary artists, Abla shines a light on Egypt’s rich cultural heritage in abstract works such as Between Heaven and Earth (2016), a part of his “Silk Road” series. Utilizing the Turkish Ebru technique to create colorful, marble-like patterns, the artist retells an imagined scene from folklore, featuring oversized animals, heroes, princesses, and other folktale figures. Created with a combination of collage, traditional Middle Eastern art methods, and calligraphy, the mixed media piece reflects Abla’s unique talents for storytelling and application of unusual media. After studying graphics and sculpture in Switzerland and Austria, Abla went on to win first prize at the Kuwait Biennale and the Grand Prix at the Alexandria Biennale. He is the founder of the collaborative workspace, the Fayoum Art Center and its integrated Caricature Museum, the first caricature museum in the Middle East.