Lot Essay
Adam Henein, born in Cairo in 1929, was one of Egypt’s most prominent sculptors and painters. Raised in a family of metalworkers, Henein developed an acute appreciation for craftsmanship early on. After graduating from the Cairo School of Fine Arts in 1953, he pursued further studies at the Munich Academy in the late 1950s. His time spent in Luxor during the 1960s, surrounded by unparalleled archaeological riches, left a lasting effect on the young artist.
Henein’s artistic style, which shines vividly in both his sculptures and his paintings, conjures elements of the ancestral art of ancient Egypt and the artist’s quest for simplicity. Inspired by the desert and the archaeological finds in Luxor, Henein strived for a purity and clarity of form. His sculptures, characterised by minimalistic lines, often emphasise the raw beauty of natural materials whilst simultaneously revealing a deep sensitivity and faithfulness to Egypt’s artistic heritage.
Whilst best known for his sculptural practice, Henein produced a great number of works in a distinctive pictorial technique on papyrus using natural pigments. Even in these paintings, one can observe the structural qualities of his sculptures. Compactly composed of geometric shapes and patterns, the three-dimensional is translated into the two-dimensional. The same principles that informed his sculptures – geometry, minimalism, the use of natural materials – are evident in the artist’s two-dimensional works, as is his commitment to bringing forward traditional Egyptian techniques in his exploration of contemporary subjects
Henein’s artistic style, which shines vividly in both his sculptures and his paintings, conjures elements of the ancestral art of ancient Egypt and the artist’s quest for simplicity. Inspired by the desert and the archaeological finds in Luxor, Henein strived for a purity and clarity of form. His sculptures, characterised by minimalistic lines, often emphasise the raw beauty of natural materials whilst simultaneously revealing a deep sensitivity and faithfulness to Egypt’s artistic heritage.
Whilst best known for his sculptural practice, Henein produced a great number of works in a distinctive pictorial technique on papyrus using natural pigments. Even in these paintings, one can observe the structural qualities of his sculptures. Compactly composed of geometric shapes and patterns, the three-dimensional is translated into the two-dimensional. The same principles that informed his sculptures – geometry, minimalism, the use of natural materials – are evident in the artist’s two-dimensional works, as is his commitment to bringing forward traditional Egyptian techniques in his exploration of contemporary subjects