Egyptian artist connects ancient past to modern vision
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Egyptian artist Mohamed Eid presented his latest exhibition, “Narratives of the Black Land,” at the Bab Salim Hall of the Museum of Modern Art in Cairo, running until September 26.
The exhibition explores themes from ancient Egyptian civilization, a period when Egypt was known as “Kemet,” meaning “the Black Land”, and reflects them in contemporary figures and scenes.
Eid reinterprets the concept of “Kemet” as more than just a historical name for ancient Egypt, seeing it as a starting point for considering the relationship between people, land, and time. He breaks down the intellectual and symbolic system of ancient Egyptian art, examining its connection to the present day. Eid believes ancient Egyptian art was a complete language carrying concepts of immortality, transition, identity, and the cycle of life and death.
Through his work, Eid transforms symbols and elements from ancient Egyptian murals into modern visual energies, prompting questions about time, existence, and memory. He uses a technique he calls “visual hybridity,” blending ancient Egyptian motifs with contemporary artistic forms to create a space where multiple time layers coexist. The artist emphasizes the role of color, particularly black, as a symbol of fertile land and the source of life, rather than darkness.
He also incorporates digital documentation of ancient murals as a living memory within his paintings. Doctor Mahmoud Hamed, head of the Fine Arts sector at the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, stated at the opening that Eid’s work goes beyond historical documentation to create a new myth for the present and foster a deep dialogue between the spiritual and temporal dimensions of human existence.
Mohamed Eid previously held the exhibition “Autumn of Love” in 2021 and has participated in over 30 group exhibitions, winning awards in 2017 and 2022.
