Honoring Six Decades of Creativity: The Fine Arts Sector Celebrates the Career of Ezz El-Din Naguib

Under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, the Fine Arts Sector—led by Dr. Mahmoud Hamed—will launch an exhibition titled "Tales from the Nation’s Treasury," featuring the work of the late artist and art critic Ezz El-Din Naguib. The opening will take place at 6:00 PM on Tuesday, October 27, 2016, at the Al-Bab Selim Hall, located on the grounds of the Cairo Opera House.

This retrospective showcases the late Ezz El-Din Naguib’s mastery in transforming the visible into a dream, and reality into a symbolic, visual mythology. He immortalized elements that were at risk of disappearing, creating an emotional and visual archive of the authentic Egyptian spirit.

In his remarks regarding this highly anticipated exhibition, Dr. Mahmoud Hamed stated: "We gather today at the Al-Bab Selim Hall—not merely to open an art exhibition, but to unlock the 'Nation’s Treasury' and explore luminous chapters from Egypt’s emotional and visual history. These chapters were documented and interpreted through a philosophical lens by one of the pillars of the Egyptian fine arts and cultural movement: the late, great artist, critic, and man of letters, Ezz El-Din Naguib."

Dr. Hamed emphasized that the timing of this exhibition serves as a tribute to a career that spanned more than six decades; Ezz El-Din Naguib was, indeed, a unique and exceptional figure in our contemporary culture. While he is defined by his work as a visual artist with an unmistakable signature style, he is also a thinker and critic who delves into the roots of identity through his books and encyclopedias; a man of letters who—with the skill of a seasoned storyteller—narrates works such as *The Call of the Oasis* (*Nida’ al-Waha*) and *Days of Glory* (*Ayyam al-‘Izz*); and a hands-on founder who laid the foundations for grassroots culture and the heritage of traditional crafts.
The exhibition is scheduled to run until November 7th.