Artist Spotlight - "Art is Life"
- CARAVAN Arts
- Aug 6
- 8 min read
Updated: Aug 7
An Interview with celebrated Egyptian artist Mohamed Abla:
CARAVAN's president, Paul G. Chandler, recently had the privilege of interviewing the renowned Egyptian artist Mohamed Abla. Mohamed Abla, one of the most noted and respected artists in the Middle Eastern, was instrumental in the establishment of CARAVAN's early initiatives. His life and work profoundly embodies CARAVAN's mission of "using the arts for transformational purposes."
“I believe art brings peace - to the self and to life.”
Mohamed Abla, artist
Multimedia Egyptian artist Mohamed Abla is one of the Middle East’s most celebrated artists. He was born in 1953 in Belqas in the Egyptian Nile Delta. After graduating from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Alexandria (1973), Abla embarked upon a seven-year journey around Europe, where he visited museums in Spain, France, Belgium and Germany, eventually studying sculpture and graphics in Vienna and Zurich. His first solo exhibition ran at the Hohmann Gallery, Hamburg, Germany (1979), followed by shows at Gallery Ewat, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands (1989); Art Hall, Örebro, Sweden (1991) and the Egyptian Academy of Rome, Italy (1991), amongst others. In 1994 he won the First Prize at the Kuwait Biennale, followed by the Grand Prix at the Alexandria Biennale, Egypt in 1997. He has also participated in international art events such as the Havana Biennale in Cuba, and his work has been part of prestigious group exhibitions such as at the British Museum in London and the Kunstmuseum Bonn. Abla’s central motivation is to familiarize a national and international audience with every facet of Egyptian society while addressing social and political topics through its complex layers. Teaching at various international institutions led him to found the Fayoum Art Center in 2006, a place where young artists from all over the world live and work together. In 2009, he established the first caricature museum in the Middle East and North Africa. After the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, Mohamed Abla was elected as part of the “Committee of 50” that wrote Egypt’s new constitution. In 2022, Abla was awarded the prestigious Goethe Medal from Germany for his life’s artistic achievements, the first Arab artist to be awarded the prize. He returned the award in 2024, protesting Germany’s complicity in Gaza.
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How did your artistic journey begin? When were you first inspired to create?
Mohamed: I actually started my journey very early, drawing as a little boy. I believed talent was natural - that drawing on walls, paper, anywhere, was normal. But the real gift was discovered through others – teachers - who saw something in me. In primary school, one teacher noticed my love for drawing; I’d spend class sketching instead of studying, and she’d let me continue. That became an important turning point, and every year I continued like that. In middle school, I had an inspiring art teacher who motivated me, and I felt I had no real choice other than entering art school - I was convinced I had to become an artist. It wasn’t easy; my father strongly opposed fine arts, wanting me to pursue science or join the military. I rebelled and persisted in going to art school. From then on, my studies deepened my relationship with art. Later I traveled widely – first to Vienna, Zurich, then on and many places - to learn various techniques and expand my artistic vocabulary. Through travel, experience, and observation, I gained mastery over my tools and found my voice.
Your artistic style reflects a compelling sense of everyday life, such as impressionistic portrayals of scenes and people. And your use of a vibrant color palette communicates a feeling of harmony in motion, and paintings that seem to continue off the canvas. How did your own sense of style develop?
Mohamed: From the start, I believed art is about ideas, and you need tools and techniques to realize them. So, I was very diligent in learning as many techniques as possible - tools, methods, processes. I traveled to India, China, Europe, literally all over the world, to acquire diverse technical skills. My style evolves according to subject matter and life experience: my travels, interactions, discoveries - all influence my ideas. And as I work on those ideas, the artistic methods naturally evolve. I learned sculpture, video art, printmaking, performance, graphic art - every method became important to express different ideas. So, my style isn’t fixed; it changes based on what I’m exploring and the new ideas I’m working on.
Can you share a little about what art means to you, and how you have experienced art’s power to affect people?
Mohamed: For me, art is life. Through art I express my life and thoughts. Art is like writing a diary through drawings - my paintings and creative works reflect my personality and life journey. Art comforts life. It helps us understand it, and helps us communicate that understanding to others. Art is a visual language; anyone can see it anywhere in the world. I believe art brings peace - to the self and to life.
“For me, art is life.”
-Mohamed Abla
Congratulations on your first book being published. I understand it is a memoir in Arabic tiled This is Egypt, Abla. I believe it covers your earlier years, and the challenges and adventures that shaped you into the artist that you are today. Can you share a little with us about it?
Mohamed: With my book This Is Egypt, Abla, I wanted to share my life story in a way that others - especially young people - could learn from. It might not be extraordinary, but it can inspire those starting their lives. I want to say that life’s journey is like a path, and if you have a clear goal and strong will, you can realize your ideas. Writing the book was a journey into my own memories. Through writing, you can re-enter those moments and reconcile with the events of your life. Writing also has a magical quality; it allows you to reconnect with your experiences.
How has your spiritual journey influenced your artistic vision? And how do you see the interplay between art and spirituality?
Mohamed: I’ve been spiritually aware from a very early age. I’m convinced by God’s power and purpose, and believe everyone has their own path to live. We must live deeply and enjoy life’s details. I feel God’s presence around me, and God’s hand supporting me through mistakes and guiding me with messages. Art brings you closer to yourself and your soul. It’s like reaching into your deepest self, because ultimately art must touch someone else’s soul. So, art must emerge authentically from within. I try to make my art come from deep inside me, with real emotion and intensity, because I believe art is a gift in life meant to be shared - transmitted from one soul to another.
“Art brings you closer to yourself and your soul.”
Your life as an artist is not only expressed on canvas or sculpture but also in the creation of the Fayoum Art Center in a desert oasis, where as you say “art meets people.” How did this dream originate and evolve into the dynamic center of artistic education and collaboration that it is today? Please tell us about what happens there.
Mohamed: In the early 80s, I started visiting Fayoum [a desert oasis] and was struck by its beauty - the mountains, lake, trees, palm groves. I felt it was a magical, inspiring place, and I, as an artist, believed others should experience it too. So, in 2006, I created a small, humble center there. We started with just one small classroom and invited artist friends from Egypt and abroad to come and teach locals basics. As the program grew, so did the center. Now it offers broader cultural and artistic activities, and people from the area have come to appreciate and enjoy it.
You also founded the first Caricature Museum (or cartoon museum) in the Middle East and North Africa, housed at your Fayoum Art Center. My understanding is that many of the cartoons in the museum are about political, economic and social conditions in Egypt. I read somewhere that you said, “Life is hard enough, if you take it too seriously you won’t enjoy it. One should face life with a great deal of lightness and humor.” Can you comment on that quote and how that might relate to this museum?
Mohamed: The idea behind the Caricature Museum comes from recognizing the importance of humor to Egyptians - it’s part of our heritage. Cartooning has a long history in Egypt, dating back to Pharaonic times. Many artists across history have used caricature to comment on political and social events in a beautiful way. I feared that this tradition might be lost. So, for over 30 years, I’ve been collecting caricatures to preserve Egypt’s unique humor. It’s an important tool to resist despair and face life’s difficulties. Humor gives the soul strength. Cartoons help us cope with hardship, and the museum honors the memory of great cartoonists. When visitors - Egyptians and people from around the world - see how we express ourselves through humor, it shows how we preserve our language and political commentary. I’m proud of it, and so happy when people enjoy it.
You are known to invest in mentoring and inspiring emerging artists? Can you share with us a little about why that is such a personal priority for you?
Mohamed: When I was young, many people helped me, and sometimes I faced difficulties and hoped someone would support me. I’ve always felt this is part of my life and a human responsibility - if someone is an artist or not. I believe in extending a helping hand to others so they can develop themselves. Through the Abla Art Foundation and its initiatives, we aim to support young artists - to help them develop their artistic possibilities.
You’re passionate about building bridges between cultures, such as between the Middle East and West and also between faith traditions. Tell us about your vision for the new Abla Art Foundation. Also, I believe you have plans to establish a contemporary art museum in the Fayoum oasis?
Mohamed: This is very important to me because I believe God created us to learn and connect with others. Islam teaches us to know and respect others. I think that’s essential; we must travel to learn, move from our place, and connect with others. The more we get to know others, the more our humanity grows - and so does our presence in the world. My vision for Abla Art Foundation is to build on this idea, to expand understanding, cultural exchange, and human connection. We do hope, in time, to establish a contemporary art museum in the Fayoum oasis as part of that mission.
"I believe God created us to learn and connect with others."
If you could share one message with the world, what would it be?
My message is that each of us must deepen our sense of humanity - that we think of ourselves as human beings, not just physically standing on earth. Broaden your vision, see yourself as equal to others, recognize that every human deserves life, happiness, and safety. My message to the world is: let us open our hearts and minds to one another.
"Each of us must deepen our sense of humanity."
Can you share with us what you are working on artistically at this time, both in art and in writing?
Mohamed: These days, I’m deeply engaged in artistic work. I’ve lived through many creative phases and projects - I’m always starting something and always amazed. That amazement pushes me to work across different directions. And now, I’m focused on an idea that draws me back to places and regions I love in my life - returning and reinterpreting their artistic essence. I’m doing a “second visit to myself” through my art.
"I’m doing a 'second visit to myself' through my art."
