George Bahgory
Egypt
www.bahgory.com
info@bahgory.com
Biography
George Bahgory is one of Egypt’s most renowned
contemporary artists. An Egyptian-French artist, he is
widely referred to as 'the granddaddy of Egyptian
caricature,’ Bahgory is most famous for his political
cartoons that have been featured in Arabic press for
decades.
Bahgoury was born into a Coptic Christian family in
Luxor, Upper Egypt in 1932. In 1955, he studied painting
at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Zamalek, Cairo, under the
guidance of the Egyptian artist Hussein Bikar. In 1970,
he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Paris.
His 30 year stay in Paris refined his talent in drawing,
engraving, painting, sculpture, marionette art, novel
writing, cinema and criticism. Upon a special invitation
from the Society of Art Lovers in Paris, his works were
selected to represent the Egyptian Pavilion. His
painting "A Face from Egypt" won the Silver Medal award.
His wood and bronze engravings have been displayed in
galleries in France and Canada. He also created two
granite works during the Aswan International Symposium
of Sculpture. From 1953 to 1975, Bahgoury was also a
prominent cartoonist for the two weekly Egyptian
magazines Sabah Al Khair and Rose El Youssef.
Works by Bahgory can be categorized as expressionist and
cubist with bright colours appealing to folk art fans.
He cites 20th century favourite Pablo Picasso, Egyptian
modernist Abdel Hadi Al Gazzar, German expressionist
Paul Klee, and Egyptian Fayoum portraits, among others,
as his influences. Bahgory paints in a manner that
viewers can perceive as either dark or whimsical, a
model combination for the rugged and creative spirit of
both Egypt and the 20th century’s best-selling artist.
He is a multifaceted and multidimensional artist with an
impressive history, having written books, garnered
numerous national and international honours and
participated in over thirty exhibitions across Europe
and the Middle East. Bahgory has mastered various fine
art mediums, including drawing, painting and prints as
well as photography and sculpture.
Some of his works were acquired by the Museum of Modern
Art in Amman and the Museum of Modern Art in Cairo.
Following the Egyptian Revolution, Al Masar Gallery for
Contemporary Art in Zamalek, Cairo, hosted a special
exhibition 'Bahgory on Revolution' of Bahgory's
post-revolution artworks. Scenes from "The Battle of the
Camel" (of 2 February 2011) were featured, alongside
paintings depicting scenes daily life in Egypt and the
artist's love of the music of Om Kulthoum.
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