In a world that has long been unkind to women, Egyptian artist Zeinab Al Sageny has found solace in her art. Her paintings are colorful and vivacious, the women in her art are powerful and embraceful, and her settings: always Egypt. A Cairene born and raised, Al Sageny graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts in 1956 from Helwan University, and later earned her PhD in Art Education from the same institution in 1978. In her world of artistry, Al Sageny established a connection with her surroundings, borrowing elements from nature – the Nile and the countryside – to accentuate her paintings. But the most special theme in her work remains women – in all their forms. Through her brushstrokes, she brings curly-haired, wide-eyed women to life. In her own world, Al Sageny battles through society’s prejudice against women, paying tribute to them with her paintings. One of the most striking elements of Al Sageny’s work is that her women are not self-effacing or demure, rather, they have large eyes and striking features – her women are bold and loud. She has a strong focus in her work on the…
An Artist for Egyptian Women: On the Authentic Warmth of Zeinab Al Sageny’s Art
November 29, 2022
