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In 1939, in Cairo, Egypt, I became a
member of a group of avant garde artists - poets and writers - who joined
together in rebellion against the stagnation in art and politics that
existed around us at the time. The group was called Art et
Liberte'.
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My first exhibit was with this
group, an act that gave me the energy and the courage to develop my own
personal artistic expression, and to develop my focus as a painter on the
life struggle of the working poor in Egypt, especially those who worked
the land.
In 1946, I and eight of my
artist friends formed a group that we called "Groupe de L'Art
Contemporain". We exhibited our work in museums and galleries and
represented Egypt in several international Biennales.
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El Gazzar, Kamal, Nada, 1948
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In 1954, our group was invited to show our work
in Paris and I was asked to organize the exhibit. It was very exciting for
the group and an opportunity for me, not only to exhibit my work, but
also to meet and interact with other artists and to experience first hand
the exciting developments in the European art world of the 1950's.
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Over the years there have been artists I have
admired greatly. But emotionally and intellectually I am incapable
of following trends. I have always had to follow my own path. While my painting began with a
distinctly Egyptian flavor, it has evolved, I believe, into my own very
individual style.
Kamal
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