Abdel Hadi Al Gazzar (14 March 1925 – 8 March 1966) was an Egyptian painter. He occupies a unique position among the artists of his generation. His membership in the Contemporary Art Group elevated his status as an artist through his utilization of social commentary in addition to the group's focus on traditional, Egyptian identity. This commentary is most widely recognized in his painting, The High Dam, in which he comments on the effects of modernization by the Egyptian government on society and their way of life. Since his death, his work has not ceased to challenge artists, intellectuals and critics both in Egypt and abroad.

Life and career

Abdel Hady Mohammad El- Gazzar was born on March 14, 1925, in the Akkabri district in Alexandria; he was son of a Sheikh, a religious scholar. In 1940, his family moved to Cairo and settled in the district of Sayyida Zaynab. At Helmiyya Secondary School, Al Gazzar attended courses at the 'artistic club’ organized by Hussein Youssef Amin, the founder of The Group of Contemporary Art, in 1944; this group constituted one of the major early attempts to ground Egyptian arts in its own culture. The artists embarked on a search for Egyptian traditions and applied folk symbols mixed with popular philosophy in order to rid Egypt's art of romantic and unrealistic traces left by the earlier Western Orientalist painters. In many ways the group drew upon their predecessor, the Art and Freedom Group—as with the continuation of the use of surrealism and abstraction. However, the Art and Freedom Group focused on the breakdown of Egyptian identity, which is where they differed. Al Gazzar was a member of this group, which included other Egyptian important artists such as Hamed Nada and Samir Rafi. In 1950, Al Gazzar graduated from the Cairo School of Fine Arts, where he subsequently worked as an assistant professor. He had his first personal exhibition held at the Museum of Modern Egyptian Art in Cairo during the period December 17–24, 1951. Al Gazzar obtained two scholarships in Rome, Italy, in 1954 and in 1957. He obtained a diploma from the School of Art and Restoration of Rome. He visited schools of Fine Arts in England, France and Italy. In his early years, Al Gazzar's choice of medium was crayon or ink on paper, before moving to painting in his later years. From 1958 to 1965, Al Gazzar participated in many national and international exhibitions, winning several medals and prizes. At one Contemporary Art Group exhibition, he and his mentor, Hussein Youssef Amin, got arrested for the political commentary in their works. In 1965, shortly before his death, he participated for the second time in the Alexandria Biennial. He died in 1966 of a heart condition.

Legacy

One of his paintings titled "Inspired by the Red Sea Lighthouses" in 1964, was lost when it was on display on loan to the Egyptian Ministry of Culture in 1971. However, the art piece was found hanging in a coffee shop, and later retrieved to the Gezira Center for Modern Art in June 2022.

Exhibitions

Some of the most important private and collective exhibitions:

Awards

Writings

Folk Poems. Many Articles for "the Islamic Post Magazine". Two stories: "Barber's Shop" "Soul's Departure"

Collections