The Zamalek Art galleryis still showing its dual exhibition of paintings by Farghali Abdel-Hafiz and Khaled Sorour online

Khaled Sorour’s latest collection of paintings “Birds’ Dreams” is an expression of the simple, impossible dreams overlooked in the hustle and bustle of daily life. Each painting presents us with an array of characters, shapes and symbols that represent a lost hope, or a moment that could have been.

“Birds’ Dreams” is not, however, a show about sadness. It rekindles hope. Sorour reminds us that we can once again retain the innocence we once had as children, and pursue dreams that we abandoned in our struggle with reality.

In his instantly recognizable style, Sorour further refines his method of colour block painting. So neat are his lines, so rich are his colours, that it requires great concentration to see that these are not in fact printed images.

Sorour’s paintings appear naïve at first glance, but the entire collection boasts  a mature ability to whittle down detail, reducing a scene to its barest: life, colour and a sense that dreams are always attainable.

“Sketches” is the most extensive collection of sketches by Farghali Abdel- Hafiz, capturing the artist’s travels and impressions from 2008 till today.

Abdel-Hafiz describes sketching as “the most spontaneous expression, depicting the artist’s deepest thoughts and interactions with their surroundings”.

Sketches are not about drawing an accurate likeness, but rather capturing the essence or the mood of a figure or scene. Accomplishing a sketch requires the artist to be bold, allowing an uninhibited outpouring of emotion. This is what makes sketches primal and completely unique, and consequently protects them against duplication or fraud. It was this realization that prompted art historians to re-evaluate the importance of sketches, making them a valuable art form in their own right.

Watch the paintings online @Zamalekartgallery.

*A version of this article appears in print in the  9 April, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly