A solo exhibition by painter and former culture minister Farouk Hosny opened at Picasso East New Cairo gallery on Saturday, in a rare public appearance by the Mubarak-era official.

The exhibition includes about 60 abstract paintings of different sizes, with themes focusing on the river Nile and Egypt's desert.

The opening of the event was attended by several public figures, including former minister of culture Saber Arab; director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina Mostafa El-Feqi; former director of Al-Hanager Arts Centre Hoda Wassfi; and former head of the Egyptian Academy in Rome Ashraf Reda.

Also in attendance were figures from the arts, including actors Laila Elwi, Bossy, and Alham Shahin, cartoonists Georges Bahgory and Amr Fahmy, sculptor Adam Henein, and visual artists Ahmed Shiha, Noura Al-Saady and Ibrahim Ghazala.

Last year Hosny exhibited at Grant Gallery in Abdin Street in Downtown Cairo.

He has also held several solo exhibitions in Dubai, where he moved followed the outbreak of the 25 January Revolution.

He was appointed culture minister by former president Hosni Mubarak in 1987, and held the position until 2011.

The exhibition will close on 28 February.

From left to right: Reda Ibrahim, Mustafa El-Fiqi, Farouk Hosny and Ashraf Reda (Photo: Ayman Barayez)

Farouk Hosny [centre] with Laila Elwie on his right and journalists (Photo: Ayman Barayez)

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