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Guirguis Lotfy

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Guirguis Lotfy

“…I paint what I live, what I see and experience in my everyday life and from my rich tradition and cultural heritage. I live in a poor neighborhood in Alexandria, where all houses are stuck together and everybody knows everybody else . My canvases are filled with these crowds going by their daily business. The watermelon vendor in one painting comes from Upper Egypt every summer to sell his produce, the tea lady who puts up the radio volume at 6 am lives in the floor below me. I paint their feasts (moulids), picnics, zars (an exorcism ritual), their mourning rituals, and their legends like the 19 Storm legends that flourish in my city by the sea. In my neighbourhood most people believe in magic and legends I am greatly influenced by the ancient Coptic art, which was always depicting light coming from people. They are stunted from stress and life’s hardships but they are content with the little they have and just go on. They look at you from all angles and often up to the sky to the God they pray to save them from their miseries….”

Personal Data

1955     Born in Alexandria, Egypt

Education

1980     B.Sc. Fine Arts, Alexandria University
1986     Diploma of Fine Arts, Helwan University, Cairo
1986     Masters Degree Philosophy of Arts, Helwan University, Cairo 
1991     PhD, Philosophy of Arts, Helwan University, Cairo

Collections

  • Private collection of: Dr. Said Farsi - Tony Ashbaa - Aida Fahmy - Sameh Fikry Makram Ebeid - Dr. Ahmed El Sader - Naguib Sawiris - Dr. Farouk Hosny - Dr. Mohamed Awad- Sheikh Sultan Al Kasmi.
  • Public collection of Alexandria Spanish Culture Center and Consulate
  • Public collection of Alexandria French Cultural Center

Exhibitions and Participations

2012      Part of a Collective Exhibition at The Four Season at the First Residence Hotel, Giza, Egypt.
2011     Mojo Gallery Dubai
2004     French Center “les Memoires de Guirguis”
2002     Alexandria Center of Arts “Dalafa Wagad”
2001     Cairo Atelier, “Storm 2”
1999     Museum of Fine Arts “The Storm”
1998     French Cultural Museum “Rizk”
1988     Spanish Cultural Center
1997     Hanager Expo “Moulid Lovers”
1996     “Wooden Horse “, Meniat El Nasr Culture Center “Conversation of Clay”
1992     Faculty of Fine Arts, Zamalek “Coptic Art”
1991     Kandil Hall
 Spanish Center
1989     St Marc, El Horreya Center
1989     Faculty of Fine Arts, Zamalek

Collection