Written by MARIA LUNDERSKOV

Born in the Shubra district of Cairo in 1926, Maher Raief was an Egyptian painter who contributed to the development of modern Egyptian art. He was the son of a visual artist and the grandson of an Al-Azhar scholar^[i]. Raif graduated from Cairo’s Faculty of Fine Arts in 1950 and received a degree in philosophy at Cairo University in 1954. He worked under the influence of Hussein Youssef Amin (1904-1984), who launched the Contemporary Art Group in 1946 and encouraged his pupils in self-discovery and self fulfilment. Subsequently, Raief became member of the Luxor Atelier in Cairo^[ii], which was created in 1941 by the Alexandrian painter Mohammed Naghi (1888-1956)^[iii].

In 1960, Raief became the dean of the Alexandria School of Fine Arts. Four years later, he received the Lausanne Biennale prize. Continuing his academic pursuits, in 1970, he completed a graphics diploma at Dusseldorf University, where he developed new intaglio and relief printmaking techniques – intaglio involving the incision of designs into a surface while relief was a form of printmaking featuring raised designs. Subsequently, in 1975, he attained a doctorate in graphics, aesthetics, and art history from Cologne University in Germany. In 1986, he moved to the United States, settling in New Jersey with his daughter. Raief passed away in 1999^[iv].

Raief’s early work on Egyptian rural life embodied the ideology promoted by the Contemporary Art Group. The group comprised of himself, Husain Yusuf Amin, Abdel-Hadi El-Gazzar, Mahmoud Khalil, Ibrahim Maussouda, Salem el-Hashbi (Mogli), Hamed Nada, Samir Rafi, and Kamal Youssef^[v], emerged following the Art and Liberty movement (1938), which established an Egyptian surrealist style. While the Art and Liberty Group's ethos was centred on resistance against fascism and colonialism, the Contemporary Art Group diverged in its focus. Rather than producing defiant art, they prioritized creating pieces deeply connected to their local communities^[vi].

The artists of the Contemporary Art Groups strongly believed that contemporary art existed at its fullest when side by side with modern thought. Modern thought in 1900 Egypt was connected to human development, technology, and independence. In art, Modern thought often resulted in exploring the past to understand the present and shape the future. Differentiating from European Modernism which started at the end of the 1800s, was considered more of a break with the past as they researched new ways of expression. Varyingly, the Contemporary Art Groups stated in their second manifesto (1948)^[vii], that modern thought referred to the constant development of human perception. The role of the artist was therefore seen as delving into the collective subconscious^[viii] — which was influenced by the psychological impacts of poverty, superstition, and fatalistic attitudes^[ix] — and opening up people’s perception before them. By doing so, the artist would sharpen people’s senses and guide them to understand and adopt new values^[x]. Visually distinct from renowned European surrealist artists such as Joan Miró, Salvador Dalí, Giorgio De Chirico, and René Magritte, the Contemporary Art Group crafted images that intertwined realism and symbolism. Through their efforts, these artists transformed folkloric art from a mere reflection of historical narratives into a dynamic and integrated component of contemporary Egyptian aesthetics, seamlessly bridging the past with the present pulse of Egyptian modernity^[xi].

The symbolism in the painting Untitled (the fisherwoman and the net), 1948^[xii], suggests a profound reflection on the impact of poverty and rural life on the human psyche. Three human figures are depicted ensnared within a fishnet, while two fish float freely in the air. The net appears to metamorphose into a plant emerging from the ground beneath the figures, evoking the other source of living: agriculture. In the background, the presence of the Nile, often emblematic of national prosperity and independence in Modern art, contrasts with the divided ground depicted in block formations, symbolizing drought and scarcity of water. Through this dual-layered narrative, Raief illustrates the intricate balance of existence caught between the realms of "land and sea”. These fishermen's livelihoods ebbed and flowed with the tides; their existence is precariously balanced on the fluctuations between dry and high seasons, and on the unpredictability of their catches^[xiii].

In the latter half of the 1970s, upon returning to Egypt following his time in Germany, Raief adopted the Sufi religious tradition. Consequently, he shifted away from figurative art towards calligraphy and geometric forms, initiating a vigorous campaign against the practice of live model drawing in art schools^[xiv]. In the prints Sufi symbols, n.d.^[xv], Raief experimented with the geometry of the line and the shape of the circle, recalling the Sufi idea of life. The circle in Sufism, with its center, radii and perimeter embodies the idea of the Truth or the Divine which it manifests in its creations through the radii^[xvi]. The lines in Raief’s work, are not radii; rather, they run parallel and cross each other, creating overlaps, or they form concentric circles, creating two compositions that recall some sort of mechanisms. Furthermore, the vicinity of the line and the shifting color intensity of the single line create a visual effect suggesting that some sort of energy is passing through the lines – like electric wires. This is an example of how, while Raief distanced himself from figurative art, he continued to research into existential psychology.

Calligraphy, an art form cultivated for centuries by Sufis, is viewed as an initiative to get closer to the Divine^[xvii]. Through the pioneering efforts of artists such as Raief, Hamed Abdallah, and Dia Al-Azzawi in the early 1960s, Arabic script evolved into a form of abstract fine art. Experimentation with the shapes of Arabic characters aimed to achieve a new aesthetic dimension^[xviii]. In the painting Nun-Shin, circa 1980^[xix], the letters ن (nun) and ش (shin) transcend their linguistic function, becoming conduits solely for aesthetic expression. Their significance lies not in their semantic content but in the interplay of their shapes, thicknesses, and the harmonious blend of orange and blue tones they create. Thus, calligraphy artworks stand as a testament to Raief's commitment to revitalizing Islamic art traditions using modern techniques.

In the course of his career, besides experimenting with different modes of representation and styles, Raief also experimented with different mediums; he worked with prints, oil on paper or canvas, as well as pastel and pencil on paper. In one of his pastel and pencil illustrations, Untitled, n.d., presently housed within the Ramzi and Saeda Dalloul Art Foundation collection in Beirut, Raief shows three horses in an architectural landscape. The figures are deconstructed into abstract and geometrical shapes which are interrelated to attain the horses' morphology. While in his figurative work, Raief delved into the collective subconscious, in this semi-abstract composition, he reveals to the naked eye the mechanisms that constitute the internal workings of an organic body. Moreover, the arrangement of visual elements blurs the distinction between the physical bodies of the horses and the landscape, highlighting the complexity of living organisms and the ambiguity of our existence.

Maher Raief's artistic journey was marked by innovation and introspection. Through his paintings, prints, and drawings, Raief delved into the complexities of human existence, weaving together threads of tradition and modernity, spirituality and psychology. His versatility across mediums and styles, from figurative representations to geometric abstraction, underscores his relentless pursuit of artistic exploration. Throughout his career, Raief actively engaged with the intellectual currents, social issues, and visual aesthetics of his time, rendering his contributions significant in modern Egyptian art.

Edited by Elsie Labban

Literature

Al-Daghistani, Raid. “The Mysticism of Arabic Calligraphy: A Love Affair between the

Reed Pen and Sufism.” Journal of Architecture, Arts and Humanities, Vol. 6, no.25 - Issue Twenty-Five (January 2021): 524-529

Artnet. “NUN-SHIN, ca.1980,” Acessed April 17, 2024. “www.artnet.com/artists/

Artnet. “Sufi Symbols, ca.1970–1980,” Accessed April 17, 2024. www.artnet.com/artists/maher-raief

Artnet. “UNTITLED (THE FISHERWOMAN AND THE NET), 1948.” Accessed April 17, 2024. www.artnet.com/artists

Boutros, Nabil, Maria Golia, and Edouard Al Kharrat. Contemporary Art Group, Cairo 1946. (Exhibition catalogue, ‘Art Dubai Modern’, Dubai, Art Dubai, March 22nd – March 24th 2018). Cairo, Egypt: Karim Francis Galley, 2018.

Fathallah, Mohamed Hazem, Mahmoud Farid Mahmoud, and Yara Mustafa Abu-wally EL-Fakharany. “The organic manipulation of the abstract of the Arabic alphabet (contemporary formative vision).” Journal of Architecture, Arts and Human Sciences, Vol. 5, no.21

Amin, Husain Yusuf, Abdel-Hadi El-Gazzar, Mahmoud Khalil, Ibrahim Maussouda, Mogli (Salem el-Hashbi), Hamed Nada, Maher Raef, Samir Rafi and Kamal Youssef. “Contemporary Art Group, First Declaration (1946).” Translated by Sarah Dorman. In Modern Art in the Arab World - Primary documents, ed. Anneka Larsen, Sarah Rogers, Nada Shabaut, 114-116. Brazil: The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 2018

Radwan. Nadia. “Hamed Nada.” Mathaf Encyclopedia of Modern Art and Arab World. Accessed April 22, 2024. www.encyclopedia.mathaf.org

Sotheby’s. “Maher Raif, Untitled.” Accessed April 18, 2024. www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2019

Notes:

^[i] The university-mosque of al-Azhar, situated in Cairo, Egypt, is the foremost center of Sunni religious learning in the Muslim world and plays a significant religious, intellectual, and political role in Egypt and beyond. See www.oxfordbibliographies.com

^[ii] Nabil Boutros, Maria Golia, and Edouard Al Kharrat, Contemporary Art Group, Cairo 1946, (Exhibition catalogue, ‘Art Dubai Modern’, Dubai, Art Dubai, March 22nd – March 24th 2018). Cairo, Egypt: Karim Francis Galley, 2018.

^[iii] Nadia Radwan, “Hamed Nada,” Mathaf Encyclopedia of Modern Art and Arab World, accessed April 22, 2024, www.encyclopedia.mathaf.org.qa/en/bios

^[iv] Nabil Boutros, Maria Golia, and Edouard Al Kharrat, Contemporary Art Group, Cairo 1946, (Exhibition catalogue, ‘Art Dubai Modern’, Dubai, Art Dubai, March 22nd – March 24th 2018). Cairo, Egypt: Karim Francis Galley, 2018.

^[v] Husain Yusuf Amin, Abdel-Hadi El-Gazzar, Mahmoud Khalil, Ibrahim Maussouda, Mogli (Salem el-Hashbi), Hamed Nada, Maher Raef, Samir Rafi and Kamal Youssef, “Contemporary Art Group, First Declaration (1946),” translated by Sarah Dorman, in Modern Art in the Arab World - Primary documents, ed. Anneka Larsen, Sarah Rogers, Nada Shabaut (Brazil: The Museum of Modern Art, New York), 114-116.

^[vi] “Maher Raif, Untitled,” Sotheby’s, accessed April 18, 2024, www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2019

^[vii] Husain Yusuf Amin, Abdel-Hadi El-Gazzar, Mahmoud Khalil, Ibrahim Maussouda, Mogli (Salem el-Hashbi), Hamed Nada, Maher Raef, Samir Rafi and Kamal Youssef, “Contemporary Art Group, First Declaration (1946),” translated by Sarah Dorman, in Modern Art in the Arab World - Primary documents, ed. Anneka Larsen, Sarah Rogers, Nada Shabaut (Brazil: The Museum of Modern Art, New York), 114-116.

^[viii] Husain Yusuf Amin, Abdel-Hadi El-Gazzar, Mahmoud Khalil, Ibrahim Maussouda, Mogli (Salem el-Hashbi), Hamed Nada, Maher Raef, Samir Rafi and Kamal Youssef, “Contemporary Art Group, First Declaration (1946),” translated by Sarah Dorman, in Modern Art in the Arab World - Primary documents, ed. Anneka Larsen, Sarah Rogers, Nada Shabaut (Brazil: The Museum of Modern Art, New York), 114-116.

^[ix] “Maher Raif, Untitled,” Sotheby’s, accessed April 18, 2024, www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2019

^[x] Husain Yusuf Amin, Abdel-Hadi El-Gazzar, Mahmoud Khalil, Ibrahim Maussouda, Mogli (Salem el-Hashbi), Hamed Nada, Maher Raef, Samir Rafi and Kamal Youssef, “Contemporary Art Group, First Declaration (1946),” translated by Sarah Dorman, in Modern Art in the Arab World - Primary documents, ed. Anneka Larsen, Sarah Rogers, Nada Shabaut (Brazil: The Museum of Modern Art, New York), 114-116.

^[xi] “Maher Raif, Untitled,” Sotheby’s, accessed April 18, 2024, www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2019

^[xii] “UNTITLED (THE FISHERWOMAN AND THE NET), 1948,” Artnet, accessed April 17, 2024, www.artnet.com/artists/maher-raief

^[xiii] “Maher Raif, Untitled,” Sotheby’s, accessed April 18, 2024, www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2019

^[xiv] Nabil Boutros, Maria Golia, and Edouard Al Kharrat, Contemporary Art Group, Cairo 1946, (Exhibition catalogue, ‘Art Dubai Modern’, Dubai, Art Dubai, March 22nd – March 24th 2018). Cairo, Egypt: Karim Francis Galley, 2018.

^[xv] “Sufi Symbols, ca.1970–1980,” Artnet, accessed April 17, 2024, www.artnet.com/artists

^[xvi] Martin Lings, “The universality of Sufism,” What is Sufism?, (Islamic Texts Society, 1993), 17-24

^[xvii] Raid Al-Daghistani, “The Mysticism of Arabic Calligraphy: A Love Affair between the

Reed Pen and Sufism,” Journal of Architecture, Arts and Humanities, Vol. 6, no.25 - Issue Twenty-Five (January 2021): 524-529

^[xviii] Mohamed Hazem Fathallah, Mahmoud Farid Mahmoud, Yara Mustafa Abu-wally EL-Fakharany, “The organic manipulation of the abstract of the Arabic alphabet (contemporary formative vision),” Journal of Architecture, Arts and Human Sciences, Vol. 5, no.21

^[xix] “NUN-SHIN, ca.1980,” Artnet, acessed April 17, 2024, “www.artnet.com/artists/maher-raief"