Gamal Fahmy spent the entire period defined by the coronavirus pandemic contemplating its psychological impact on the world.
This contemplation was manifested in colorful abstract splashes of emotion on canvases, which are now on display at the White Frame Exhibition in Cairo’s Picasso Gallery.
The plethora of emotions brought about by the pandemic can be seen in the hundreds of details that make up Fahmy’s paintings.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat about his work and whether it was affected by the virus, Fahmy says: “I wasn't influenced by the pandemic, but rather, I painted with a desire to overcome its circumstances."
He noted that he chose white frames as a common base for his various paintings that held vibrant and bold colors that reflect a sense of resistance to the depression imposed on humanity by the pandemic.
Fahmy explains that life is full of hardship and disasters, but "we could live through them and experience the contradiction between beauty and ugliness, tyranny and justice, forced on us".
His works feature a number of contradictions in life, such as good and evil, ugliness and beauty, joy and sadness, and hope and despair.
Forty-three paintings are on display at Gamal Fahmy’s new exhibition, which runs until January 16.
Visitors will find that his work captures the significance and meaning of his discussion about the power of life’s contradictions while also giving it an optimistic edge with its interplay between colors.
