Khaled Sorour, head of the Plastic Arts sector at the Egyptian culture ministry, has revealed that one of the halls located inside the Arts Palace will be named after renowned sculptor Adam Henein, who passed away recently.

Sorour explained that the hall that will now carry Henein's name has been called Etigah (Direction) aiming to present works of the young and promising Egyptian artists.

Remarkable and highly influential artist Henein was known for supporting young talents, and as such the change of the name goes in parallel with his creative mission.

Henein died on 22 May at the age of 91, after influencing numerous younger Egyptian artists and producing a prolific oeuvre which has left an indelible mark on Egypt's cultural landscape.

Henein spent many years in Paris where his sculptures were deeply influenced by Egyptian culture. He had many regional and international exhibitions in his portfolio.

Upon return to Egypt in the 1990s, he initiated the Aswan International Sculpture Symposium, which over almost three decades has become an important hub for many sculptors exploring this art form.

In January 2014, the artist inaugurated the Adam Henein Museum at Cairo's Al-Harraniya district. The museum is a priceless gift from the artist to the country.

In 2017, the Adam Henein Foundation established the Adam Henein Annual Sculpture Prize. The prize is given to one member of the younger generations of Egyptian sculptors during an official exhibition that is held annually, presenting the best works of the Egyptian artists.

Adam Henein

Located at the Cairo Opera House, the history of the Palace of Arts goes back to the 1930s when the building hosting important cultural events (including visual art) was erected at what was back then known as the Gezira Fair Zone, Saraya El-Nil El-Kobra, now part of Zamalek.

The building was named the Palace of Arts when it started to dedicate its activities to art exhibitions in 1984 when the area began gaining a few new art-related buildings, including the building of the Cairo Opera in 1988.

In addition to two large exhibition halls, the Palace of Arts includes halls for film screening, conferences and an art library.

The Palace also hosts the largest and most important events, such as the International Cairo Biennale and the Youth Salon.

The Art Palace's management operates under the Fine Arts Sector, one of the departments of the Ministry of Culture.

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