Art et Liberté: Rupture, War and Surrealism in Egypt (1938 - 1948)

Product Description This publication accompanies the first exhibition dedicated to the manifestation of the Surrealist movement in Egypt. With images of over 200 works, it offers the reader a first-hand look at this artistic world. Through various visual (painting, drawing, photography) and literary media, this catalogue provides visitors with an indispensable companion for understanding the effervescent artistic context of 1930s-40s Egypt. More than example of aesthetic research, the creation of the movement was stimulated by a real revolutionary impetus. It stood against the opinions and conventions of the time. Works from the most important artists are represented, including visual artists Abdel Hadi El Gazzar, Kamel El Telmissany, Fouad Kamel, Ida Kar, Amy Nimr, and Ramsès Younan, as well as poets and writers Albert Cossery,Georges Henein, and Edmond Jabès. From the Back Cover The Art and Liberty Group (Art et Liberte jama'at al-fann wa al-hurriyyah) was a predominantly Surrealist collective comprising, at its core, a number of artists and writers living and working in Cairo mostly from the late 1930s until the late 1940s. Shedding new light on this fascinating manifestation of Surrealism in Egypt, this book includes a select anthology of literary works by various Art et Liberte members, transcriptions of rare primary documents, and a comprehensive visual inventory of artworks m About the Author Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath are co-founders of “Art Reoriented”(a multidisciplinary curatorial platform based in Munich and New York). They have contributed to numerous publications such as The Journal of Surrealist Studies, Dada/Surrealism, Flashart, Frieze Magazine. Dr. James Gifford is Associate Professor of English in the School of the Humanities and Director of the University Core at Fairleigh Dickinson University, Vancouver. He has worked extensively on the international proliferation of English Surrealism.