A Blend of Pop and Folk Cultures: Remembering Artist Chant Avedissian

In Chant Avedissian’s work, there are tales of Egypt’s glorious past and its iconic figures, taken from the heyday of Egyptian music and cinema. Avedissian’s work drew on Ottoman, Bedouin, and traditional Islamic motifs – blending in pop and folk cultures.

The Armenian-Egyptian artist challenged the separation of cultures in his work, and bridged tradition and modernity to depict his artistry.

His technique was visually simple – he printed images over stenciled backgrounds that are hand-painted and colored using local pigments. From Pharaonic hieroglyphs, to well-known Egyptian figures in Egypt’s golden age, and political figures between the 1940s and the 1970s, Avedissian’s work was nothing short of engaging and unique.

Avedissian passed away in Cairo at the age of 67, but his work remains highly praised and appreciated throughout the Arab region and the world at large.

Here are some pictures of Avedissian’s artwork, held widely by the National Museum of African Art, the British Museum in London, the National Museums of Scotland in Edinburgh, the Barjeel Foundation in Sharjah, and many more.