Egyptian Arts

Mother Of Arts

The arts in Egypt have roots that go way back into ancient times. Many artifacts have been produced over the span of time, and still remain in good shape today. Over the centuries, Egypt has witnessed the intrusion of a multitude of ideas as a result of the numerous invasions, and so much of the art that exists today has been subtly shaped by these influences. Nevertheless, Egypt unquestionably belongs to an Arabic Islamic tradition and by extension so does its art.

 Literature

Today, the arts in Egypt, whether in literature, music, cinema, or the visual arts, continue to flourish and expand, reaching new ideas and horizons. In literature, Egyptian writers are the most celebrated in the Arab world. Modern Arabic literature is said to have been shaped through the writings of Yehhia Haki, Yousef Idris, Taha Hussien, Gamal Al-Ghitani, Sekina Fouad and of course the Nobel Prize Laureate Naguib Mahfouz. Mahfouzs writings about Old-Cairo, the social lives of the lower class, the coffee shops, the alleys, have not only won him international recognition, but have altered all together the style of Modern Arabic Prose. Naguib Mahfouzs books are translated to all languages and could be found in every book store. For a thorough understanding of Egyptian culture we would recommend his Cairo "Trilogy".

  Music

In Egypt, music can always be heard. Whether it's coming from a taxi, a coffee shop or someone singing in the streets, you cant miss it. A voice youll definitely get to know is that of Om Kolthum, the most celebrated female singer in the Arab world. Om Kolthum was 73 years old when she died in 1975, and was given one of the largest funerals in history. Her voice is not only the voice of Egypt, but the voice of the Arab world. Everyone from the

humble cafe owner, to the rich business man, craves this ladys deep strong voice. If you dont get a chance to hear her, do buy a tape or two, you wont regret it. Another classical legend is Abdel Halim Hafez, who is her male counterpart. Again his epic songs about love and despair fill the Cairo air. Unfortunately, Hafez died young at the age of 48. On the other side the new rhythm of Amr Diab, Mohamed Foad and Hakim represent the pop side of the Egyptian music scene. A massive drop from Um Kalthum and Abdel Halim, nevertheless the younger generations seem to love them.

Visual Arts

In the past Egyptian painting was represented through the works of Ahmed Sabry and Hamed Abdallah. In the realm of sculpture, Mahmoud Mokhtar wa s definitely on the top of the list. All three artists are now long gone, but their work still remains in the Museum of Modern Egyptian Art, along with the work of many contemporary Egyptian artists. Today, the Modern Art scene in Egypt, works in mysterious ways. Most of the celebrated painters and sculptors can be divided into two categories: those who have little to offer but

conventional, representational and academic work, and, on the other hand, a more recent circle of contemporary artists who are willing to explore and play with new medium and style. Their work is new, Egyptian and interesting. Try going down town to private galleries like Mashrabeya, Karim Francis, and Cairo-Berlin for the more intriguing exhibitions. Among the exceptional contemporary Egyptian Painters are, George Al-Bahgoury, Adel Al-Siwi, Hassan Soliman, and Mohamed Abla.   

Cinema

As for Cinema and Film, Egypt has been considered the leader of the Arabic film industry for over five decades now. Among the celebrated Egyptian Actors, are Omar El-Sherif ( who has achieved international recognition in films like Dr. Zhivago), Adel Imam (Egypts leading comedian), Adel Emam, Nour El-Sherif, Ahmed Zaki and Mahmoud Abdel Aziz ( also a comedian ). The most celebrated director is, by far, Yousef Shahin, who just recently received an award at the Cannes Film Festival for his film "The Destiny". Another talented director is Dr. Khairy Beshara, with films that focus on more contemporary Egyptian issues.

Nevertheless, Egypts reputation as the leader of Arabic Film, is prone to challenge, and might not last as a result of the apparent decline in quality during the past few years. As with music, the latest productions, involving young comedians such as Mohamed Heneidy, have taken a large step back in terms of seriousness, content and subject matter. Strangely enough, these movies still managed to receive good reviews, and of course, massive support from the young generations.  

Dance

With just a few shows every now and then, the Contemporary Dance scene in Egypt is definitely over shadowed by belly dancing. Egypt is the belly dancing capital of the world. With the local oriental music providing an ideal rhythm, Egyptian belly dancers out-number actors, artists and musicians. Some dancers achieve immense popularity and go on to

become movie stars. The two most celebrated belly-dancers are Lucy and Dina. Both dancers put on virtually nothing during the shows, and have a lot to offer! You can catch some belly dancing shows at any of the five-star hotels, and the night-clubs at Al-Haram St. You might even want to squeeze in some belly dancing lessons. Furthermore, there is the male oriental dance performed with wooden staves in a mock fight. There is also the Sufi dance, which is performed by some adherents of a Muslim mystical order, and is more a form of worship than a dance. In this Sufi dance, dancers spin round and round wearing brightly colored clothes.