AdAm Henein man of Stone, Flesh and Spirit Photographs: George Fakhry Text: Nile El Wardani Mr.Henein’s sculpture Art

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t is 1937, an Egyptian boy of 8 years with azur green Khaled Zaki - eyes and a slight stature en- ters the Egyptian Museum Ion Tahrir Square for the first time in his life. Immediately he is overpowered by the massive- ness of the sculptures of Pha- raohs surrounding him, making him feel as though he has been transported to a world beyond. They seem to be holding up the sky. “I found myself in a magical world. I was immersed in colors, forms and stones I could never even have imagined before I en- tered the museum. It changed my life forever” remembers Henein. At school he found his first piece of clay. Young Henein sculpted his impression of the pharoah Akhnatoun. “It was great to me because I made it. My father displayed it in the vitrine of his silver shop in ’s Bab el-Shaariya neigh- borhood and voila I was a sculptor.” Seventy-six years later, Henein has emerged as one of Egypt’s great sculptors carrying on an Egyptian tradition that span thousands of years since the time of the first dynasty of ancient Egypt. In fact, Henein is one of the world’s most celebrated sculptors having exhibited throughout the Arab world, Europe and at the Metropolitan Museum in New York.

Francois Weill - France Patrice Belin - France Ahmed Moussa - Egypt 21 OBELISQUE 22 OBELISQUE down essence of sculpture in a modern idiom, which be which idiom, modern a in sculpture of essence down and others. Such exposure led him to understand the pared Aristide, Brancusi, Despiau, Maillol, Marini, Henry Moore Heof discoveredworkWestern admiredthe and sculptors; de Sevres. Porte near atelier small his in passionately working years, those during art was that everything up drank He (1996). passed had years 25 Parisbefore leave not did Henein and ity and energy. However this plan was not written in stone was a connection with the ancient Egyptian forms, simplic Mexico to way his where he on planned to study stop pre-Columbian art. He short felt there a be to was This liera. MuseeGal the at artists Egyptian contemporary of bition exhi an in participate to 1971 Parisin to traveled Henein transform intohisown expression ofEgypt. would he that stone of pieces his and peace his found nein of Egypt and the boney boulders of Elephantine Island, He learned to sculpt nature with his own hands. In the quarries of this ancient land. This transformed him even more as he landscape mineral and stone the amongst lived he where Aswan) and (Luxor Egypt upper in years spent he Cairo, in Academy Arts Fine the at studies his completing After cltr ehbt te wfl ipeso o te highest the of impression twofold the exhibits sculpture Henein’sresult, a As work. own his of characteristic came - - - - - sand andpower”onhersculptures. wind, of effect the “loves and Egypt by such under mentors as Adam Henein. She is inspired working Egypt during in time matured her has artistry Harruku’s few the women sculptors who work in stone. of one is she Japan, from Coming years. fve for Symposium Aswan the in Yamashita Harruku a participated has

23 OBELISQUE Harruku Jamashita has spent fve years in Aswan sculpting what she calls a “petrifed forest” which will grace the entrance of the open-air-sculpture-museum.

26 OBELISQUE a dialoguebetweenthesoul andthestone.” God; from something are “sculputures his that says Islam Ebada nor hadinmindforher. in Working stereo-types. did mother her what not is the heat Egpytian the in stone all breaking are who Atif Amina represents the young Egyptian generation Egyptian young the represents , one of Egypt’s promising young artists amongst stone statues of the pharaohs, gods and god and gods pharaohs, the of statues stone amongst MarianiPietrasantacaster returnedSittingin and often. aly for the pleasure of art and research. He befriended the During his years in Paris, Henein traveled regularly to It and spiritual. Henein’saesthetic kings, else and all abovequeens is art gods, goddesses, of sculptors first the and pyramids the of builders the of descendent true a Being significance.” inward representtheir but things, to of appearance outward the is not art of aim “The that; us told Aristotle actually never I went in for Surrealism or Cubism or other movements.” this of result a As childhood). (from judgement my of Egyptianbasis the become had which sculpture ancient of standard the by saw I measured everything I much. too me concern really not did this all that felt I time same the at But world. the in where remembers that; “I was aware of what was going on else He work. his in present often is which childhood of ity qual unique a and humor low-key gentle a has Henein his authenticity. 1940-50s. Yetdiminish not did traditions weighty these traditions of Antiquity combined with modernity of the symposium in Egypt, the birth place of sculpture. Only sculpture. of place birth the Egypt, in symposium sculpture international an founding of dreamt they ago years twenty over Culture.There, of Minister Egyptian former Hosny,Farouk with met often Henein Italy In sitting onthesamechairs,asiftimehadnotpassed. his family. He saw them performing the same habits and visiting was and home returned had he that felt Henein Torino’sMuseum,in Egyptian Egypt ancient of desses rnt i Awn s h wr o Rmna ats Roth Gabriel Atilla. artist Romanian of work the is Aswan in granite Egyptian from carved arch Romanian monolithic This - - - - time would tell if such a dream could come true. When Henein returned to his homeland, he was regarded as an artist of international stature. In Egypt he was able to sculpt the monumental works that he had only been able to dream of in Paris. For Henein, Egypt’s origins never change, only the surface changes. “These are the things I search for all my life. I live to find these things, my Egypt, my ideas, my character, my thoughts and myself. Every day I wake up and I start to play and I look for this moment. When I do a good job, I have found my feeling of Egypt.” The knowledge he took with him of ore and carving techniques impressed his Egyptian colleagues. He was asked by Farouk Hosny, Egyptian Minister of Culture to help fulfill this dream and so the work began to establish the Aswan International Sculpture Symposium. Mr. Antoine Riad, proprietor of the Basma Hotel, situated high above the banks of the Nile in Aswan, understood the vision and donated his land, hotel and hospitality to bring the first group of sculptors. The ambiance created by the Egyptian and international sculptors and those who streamed into Aswan to watch them work at the Basma Hotel site was electric. I was lucky enough to be among them and I remember the great happiness and satisfaction the artists felt working hard in the sweet spring air of Aswan by day. After a long day of chiseling, grinding and modeling the artists would sit together smoking shisha by the light of the moon and enjoying the Egyptian hospitality. Henein has served as artistic director of the Aswan International Sculpture Symposium for the past 17 years and has made Aswan a coveted destination for the world’s greatest sculptors who dream of having the chance to enter Egypt’s

Obelisque founder & publisher, Lamia Hassanein to the left attended the Symposium in Aswan. Artists Hany Faisal, Ahmed Moussa, Islam Ebada from Egypt and Harruku Yamashita from Japan.

30 OBELISQUE n oe ess h mlin o yas f prta enlightenment spiritual that hasemergedfromAswan’santiquity. of years of millions the senses one and yellow, auburn orange and avocado green. The setting is mystical Egyptian granite is among the most colorful; red rubicund, ochre the paradise. sculptor’s a of Aswan make quarries some giving most world’s with coupled Aswan of atmosphere sublime The n hi hat n scn i the in second stone.” and heart their in first piece master their see sculptors “Great that, me tells Henein them. to personally speak that stones lithic mono select to quarries infamous ypsu hs ie brh o nu to birth given has Symposium Sculpture International Aswan The years. the over sculptors master the by given workshops in participated have artists Egyptian young coming up-and- 50 than more addition, In ferent countries. dif 44 representing sculptors eign more than 50 Egyptian and 132 for by created been have They North. the to South the from Egypt across spread are others 24 and Aswan of city the decorating are 27 museum, the at installed permanently are 137 which of works 250 exceeded has nein. The number of sculpted pieces He Adam by directed and Hosni Farouk Culture of Minister former Mesbah, Salah governor Aswan mer for the with cooperation in Maraai Salah artist included that supporters and experts art dedicated of team a took It soon. inaugurated be will which an open-air-sculpture-museum and symposium an international birthing imagination, crystalized beyond has ago, years 20 more than Italy in born idea Henein’s ------

31 OBELISQUE 32 OBELISQUE eceltic abstractpanoramaofUpperEgypt. Together awe-inspiring sculpture. an with lover art left the provide works these upper the sculpted Abdulla by international artists over the past six years. Mohamed adorned withoeuvressculpted below is The landscape artist every and chooses the that conversation through and the stone fuid he chooses. scale is art that testement abnormal a is This totally a sculpture. Egypt ancient in found in that than placement Egypt lower upper and of crowns the of representations the It combines On throne. Pharonic a Baulus. of dipiction modern Jeanzems a is right artist the Latvian by sculpted 44 was 50 representing (left) piece sculptors abstract than enormous The foreign countries. different more 132 of and Egyptian combines open-air-museum The millennia. former gran of The aura ageless an have pyrus and heavy as a camel. His minuscule paintings done on large pa as oeuvres and thumb his as tiny as works sculpted and painted painter,has a Henein Also time. life his over pieces 20,000 than more of works of cadre a created ally person has maturity, his of height the at now Henein, Aswan symposiumthisyear. the to invited artists Egyptian young of number the bled derstands the power of such artistic outreach and has dou un Henein internationally. Egypt represent and studios professional established have who artists young merous - - - - -

33 OBELISQUE Romanian artist Nikolai Flifng has played with our senses making what we experience as soft; a bed and our laundry from stone. He has defed nature hanging a wet stone dress to dry in the Egyptian sun. Behind the abstract scene is a stone door which leads to wherever one’s imgination wishes to go.

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40 OBELISQUE gratitude.” beautiful all art, great is art, ago that, “The essence of all etzsche told the world years Ni Friedrich wisdom. key low- with mixed gratitude and whimsy earnestness, lyrical a combines base lar rectangu a on upright ting sit a sons two his and father representing sculpture small A sculptures. small same impression attends his The frescoes. or paintings wall ancient for mistaken be might describes), artist arabic the (as lime of pinch a with gum with bound pigments natural of hues warm the with combined material the of surface ular - - - Henein’s garden is filled with gratitude for life. There you will find seated timeless mega sculptures of gods, animals and granite ships that will sail one to the great be- yond. All this is found in his home and atelier in Harraniya, where he still has a glimpse of the Giza pyramids, despite the urban sprawl that has encroached upon him. He reminds me that, “There is nothing new. In art, there is no time.” During the past few years he has earnestly been arranging for his own legacy to be set in stone. He has transformed his home into a museum, building an attractive modern four-story edifice that houses a good portion of his work. The architecture is timeless yet modern and Henein has taken great care to make sure that it is accessible to all with ramps that ascend to the top. We at Obelisque have been fortunate enough to have an early glimpse of the Adam Henein Museum, which will open in early 2014 to much fanfare. The museum will certainly become a destination for art lovers the world over. Friedrich Nietzsche reminded us that “The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude.” Henein is a man of maturity yet still childlike, full of gratitude and having an astutely artistic persona, he experiences life and work through the lens of a highly sophisticated sense of make-believe. Yet he is a man with a vision that builds bridges across the world, between nations and people through the elements of stone, flesh and spirit. After all, this is what each of his sculptures is made of.

Francois Weill has come from France and has turned Aswan into his playground, sculpting massive tons of pink granite and fxing them on to pivots that rotate, spring and see-saw in the clear skys of Nubia. Weill plays with balance, light and mass to make icons to the sun god Ra.

trAvEL

ASwAn Photo: George Fakhry 44 OBELISQUE e agre n h historic the in Margerie de phisticated interiors by Sybille with so and recevoir de French art treasures Pharaonic blends property stylish This Island. Elephantine of views with ert Des Nubian the of edge the at shelf granite pink a from grandly rises It Nile. river the of banks the on palace torian Vic 19th-century a in hotel Old Cataract is a luxury 5-star Sofitel the hotels, prestigious world’smost the One Aswan. of piece center the and tality T gpin hospi Egyptian of epitome the is Aswan in Hotel Cataract Old he - - - - ties andluxuriousdécor. ameni art state-of-the fering of palace Victorianelegant an Cataract, Old new brand the privileged among them were welcomed at most The Egypt. ried curious travelers deep into car railroads and Steamships Egypt. in refinement and ity was synonymous with prosper second half of the 19th century The travelers. European house to Cook Thomas by 1899 in built was Cataract Old The and furnishings. hand-carved armchairs soft carpets, Persian plush chandeliers, red ruby arches, Moorish world old with embellished Palace - - - - Jardin surleNil years justafew agoforHermes. magnificent setting, created the very delicate fragrance the by moved Ellena, Claude Jean place very this In quent tripstoEgypt. subse many his during Cataract Old the to returned the AswanDam. Fascinated by theinspiringdecor, he of inauguration the attended he Cataract, Old the of guests earliest the of one was Churchill Winston Sir novel wasshotatthehotel. famous novel Death on the Nile. The 1977 film of the she drew on her stay at the Old Cataract for her world mystery.a for setting inspirational an also but Indeed, Egypt, for fascination lasting discovereda tie only not toman Empire inthelate1920s,Dame AgathaChris Ot Old the and East Middle the Journeyingthrough a few. name to just Connaught Dukeof the Khan, Agha the Thatcher, Jimmy Carter, Princess Diana, Queen Noor, Margaret Carter,Howard Russia, of II TsarNicholas Sadat, Anwar President Farouk, Guests King Cataract. included have Old the of energy quiet and ness gracious inherent the to drawn been have world the over all from figures prominent century, a over For - - - - ig f h vs Nubian Desert. vast the of ning begin the and valley Nile fertile the of end the Cataract marks Old the of tion loca The inundation. and Khnum, god of the cataract of cult flourishing once the witnessed cient an site this From end. its reaches world civilized where the point the is actually land of northernmost barrier granite the with Nile river the of collision the that belief ancient the to refers which Cataract, Old name its to relates first the legend, in Enveloped - - -

45 OBELISQUE 46 OBELISQUE helgss worldwide chaeologists ak o h Nba MuOpen- Aswan the and seum Nubian the to walk short a is Nile, the of jewel River,this Nile the of banks the over hanging Literally plete relaxation. com invites and wings new and old the links naturally pool infinity new A touch. French inimitable an enhanced with eloquently and mosphere have beenrestored ty, grandeur and Egyptian at Margerie. beau original The de Sybille designer French by orchestrated of renovation years three underwent palace the decades, eleven over for uncount events historic able hosted Having Air et amu al-Hakim, Mahmoud tect archi Egyptian late the by Designed origin. of places principal their to possible as close as kept be should they ed. It was universally felt that exhibit and stored be could objects the where Aswan in museum Nubian new a to plan 1980’s the in couraged en was UNESCO ground. higher to moved were ples tem important and salvaged were objects forever. of Thousands them submerged Nasser Lake of waters rising the before Nubia Egyptian of monuments the to salvage appeal UNESCO’s ed a, gpooit and Egyptologists Dam, High Aswan the built when Egypt 1960’s, early the In lovervigorate theart inyou. rein and inspire to promise Sculpture Museum. Both Museum. Sculpture heed ar ------

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at work. It is a slow process molding one’smolding process slowdreams a is It work. at sculptors renowned internationally the with teract in can you where symposium, the during spring For paradise. even greater lover’sinspiration, travel to Aswan in the art this in yourself indulge and winter this Aswan to travel to you encourage We totheNubiangateway Desert. harbors riveting vestiges of ancient times and is the city the travelers, to openness and spirit generous a by characterized Still exchange. and openness of goddess a for named was - Swenet formerly - wan As Nile, the of waters life-giving the along Built of Architecture 2001. Award Agha-Khan the won MuseumNasser. The Lake by flooded was region the before Nile bian Nubian village architecture, as it was along the Nu traditional evoke to intended are walls enclosure the and Museum the of architecture The 1997. NubianNovemberMuseumAswan in the opened “Death ontheNile”. read and Rodins day modern these know to to time get of plenty have will you so granite from Ω

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49 OBELISQUE 50 OBELISQUE B OO leatherypages of this beautiful, extensive volume. It is a testament to Nabil’s appeal across the global art scene that the textsNabil’sinsights owninto her MarinaAbramovic, of offersmanyreproducedplateswork.the whoover100 areThere on Hans Ulrich Obrist. This is followed by a dialogue between Nabil’s good friend and the subject of many of his photographs, Egyptian-born New York based artist. mostofNabil’sof artistic production, collected hisineponymous third monograph, spanning twenty years workofby the subjectremindathus,to andof“preserve us secondfromhimaspiritual death.” Thissentiment roottheappearsatbe to Bazinrecognizespast,photographs ontologicalthethethatthingof certainlya conflation object imageisandfunction of corporeala ofbody, placingstavedeathlookedbyoffterracottato figurinesstand-insembalmedas the forsubject. While life”is sought through the “representation of life.” Theancient Egyptians, seeing survival as contingent on the maintenance k I Flammarion has produced a gorgeous book that opens with an enlightening interview between Nabil and noted critic noted andNabil betweenenlighteninginterview an with opens that bookgorgeous a producedFlammarionhas oussefNabil y S andtheorist Andre Bazin posits that “mummya complex” lies atthe origin ofthe arts, inwhich “the preservation of wedie, “we will only leave films and photographs behind us.” In his Ontology ofthe Photographic Image, the critic “king size bed with very dark blue covers”) Youssef Nabil a conversationthoughtfullyintold, alternatesafamiliarare thatjoviality betweensoberingplace,we takesna gravity and(and reminds his friend Marina Abramovic that once

9Hand-coloredgelatinsilverprint26x39cmeach Couretsy Galerie NathalieObadia Self Portrait,Marseille,2011 , Paris/Bruxelles Flammarion