Lot Essay
Born in 1924 in the Sayeda Zeinab neighbourhood of Cairo, Hamed Nada is one of the most prominent modern Egyptian artists. Nada cofounded the Contemporary Art Group alongside Hussein Youssef Amin, Abd Al-Hadi El-Gazzar, Samir Rafi, and Mahmoud Khalil which marked an important turn in the history of Modern Egyptian Art. The group aimed to detach artistic production from academism by tapping into the everyday social realities of Egyptians in order to find an authentic style of Egyptian Art.
Informed by his upbringing in a middle class religious neighbourhood, Nada’s oeuvre was one that weaved together folkloric traditions and spiritual beliefs with the everyday realities of Egypt. He created imaginative representations filled with symbolism from Egyptian visual culture. His paintings would have recurring motifs such human and animal figures and hybrids, combined with quotidian objects composed as constellations against a backdrop of architectural elements referencing Egypt’s vernacular architecture. The Key is emblematic of the artist’s distinct and enigmatic visual language, with a composition composed of a central figure, a cat, an empty chair and a floating key emanating a mystical and supernatural energy.
Informed by his upbringing in a middle class religious neighbourhood, Nada’s oeuvre was one that weaved together folkloric traditions and spiritual beliefs with the everyday realities of Egypt. He created imaginative representations filled with symbolism from Egyptian visual culture. His paintings would have recurring motifs such human and animal figures and hybrids, combined with quotidian objects composed as constellations against a backdrop of architectural elements referencing Egypt’s vernacular architecture. The Key is emblematic of the artist’s distinct and enigmatic visual language, with a composition composed of a central figure, a cat, an empty chair and a floating key emanating a mystical and supernatural energy.