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Lot Essay
‘Contemporary art (with Surrealism its introduction) insists to the fullest extent on standing side by side with modern thought. We of the Contemporary Art Group have based our idealism on the strong link between art and intellectual thought, as well as on the consideration that painting, sculpture and music, just like literature, are means to convey a given philosophy. This is what engenders our artistic works, to create new values to take place of the intellectual fabric behind people’s unsound understanding of nature and their relationships within it.’ (Jama’at al-Fann al Mu’asir declaration, from transcript published by Husayn Yusuf Amin in “Abd al-Hadi al-Jazzar: Fannan al-Thawra,” al Majalla, no. 124 (April 1967): 79-80).
Appearing for the first time at a Christie’s auction, artist Salem Al-Habschi, also known as Mogli, appeared as part of the Contemporary Art Group with others like Abdel Hadi El Gazzar, Hamed Nada and Samir Rafi, and his present work Naufrages is a rare glimpse into the art group’s versatility of subject matter for his ability to fuse both Indonesian and Egyptian elements within his works.
The above excerpt was taken from Contemporary Art Group’s First Declaration in 1946, invoking a shared spirit to articulate contemporary ideals, valuing social conditions, literary and scientific discoveries, along with philosophical and psychological explorations within universal notions
of humanity.
Highly influenced by his childhood spent along the rural farmlands of Indonesia, Habschi produced works that were rooted in the ancient and contemporary Egyptian character, blending the real and the imaginary and articulating Egyptian folk superstitions, myths and fables within his surrealist apocalyptic works.
Part of the younger generation of the Art and Liberty group, artists in the Contemporary Art Group were exposed to an older circle of artists who produced works greatly affected by the economic and social inequalities following the end of World War II. Depicting distorted perspectives and gruesome apocalyptic imagery of death, Art and Liberty’s surrealist works were noted as ‘Subjective Realism’ by Ramses Younane in 1938, incorporating recognizable symbols to develop a distinct visual language into works that were driven by the subconscious impulse. Although produced a decade later than the Art and Liberty’s Subjective Realism phase, the surrealist works of Habschi adhere to the ideals of the Contemporary Art group, in that they promoted the individual styles of artists to take shape, with techniques and trends that reflected each artist’s personality. As the group states, ‘The way for humans to master these new values surrounding them is to open up their stagnant feelings and awaken their unconscious perception’ (“Abd al-Hadi al-Jazzar: Fanan al-Thawra,” al-Majalla, no. 124 (april 1967) 82-84).
The present work titled Naufrages (Shipwreck) presents a scene in complete destruction and decay; the weather and the unidentified place begets fear, isolation and anxiety. The central ‘shipwrecked’ structure is ripe with symbolism and savage imagery, and in many ways upholds elements similar to that of a heart. With vein and artery-like elements protruding from its decayed body, attached to the structure is also bird wings and hair, referencing living elements that were at one time present. In many ways, this decayed being and the scattered elements present throughout represent a collapsed civilisation reaping at one time with science, literature, architectural innovation, trade and commerce. A small owl perches above the destruction, while mechanical gears, thick rope, dislocated columns and paper leaflets are connected to the central structure. Most intriguing is the rocket seen at the base of the composition; fallen to the broken tiled floor with insect wings, it is tied to the columns holding up the structure.
Naufrages (Shipwreck) is heavy with symbolism, appearing at a time right after the end of World War II and the Beginning of the Cold War Era. Indicative of both Egyptian local and global events, this surrealist composition is a testament to the post destruction and anxiety inflicted from the war. During the same year in 1948, Israel imposed its state in the heart of Palestine, prompting nationalist sentiments and which many artists articulated in their works. The rise of modern nation-states, responding to the ever-changing tide of colonial past/present was awakening at this time. The rocket in the composition is powerfully symbolic as well, appearing at the same time in history when the Soviet Union landed the first rocket in space and NASA launched the first monkey in space.
Habschi lived sometime of his childhood in Indonesia, then at the young age of 13, he left for the Netherlands for a few months, and ultimately ended up in Egypt where he spent the majority of his life. After completing his high school education at the Farouk I School, he was admitted to the Medicine faculty of Cairo where he studied for 4 years.
Upon completing his higher education, he studied for a diploma in calligraphy. In 1949 he left Egypt and returned to the Netherlands and didn’t return until 1953 when he started to actively exhibit with the Contemporary Art Group. At the time, Habschi was seen as an outcast from the traditional Egyptian picturesque Renaissance style, producing works that identified with a more universal character as he incorporated his global background.
Appearing for the first time at a Christie’s auction, artist Salem Al-Habschi, also known as Mogli, appeared as part of the Contemporary Art Group with others like Abdel Hadi El Gazzar, Hamed Nada and Samir Rafi, and his present work Naufrages is a rare glimpse into the art group’s versatility of subject matter for his ability to fuse both Indonesian and Egyptian elements within his works.
The above excerpt was taken from Contemporary Art Group’s First Declaration in 1946, invoking a shared spirit to articulate contemporary ideals, valuing social conditions, literary and scientific discoveries, along with philosophical and psychological explorations within universal notions
of humanity.
Highly influenced by his childhood spent along the rural farmlands of Indonesia, Habschi produced works that were rooted in the ancient and contemporary Egyptian character, blending the real and the imaginary and articulating Egyptian folk superstitions, myths and fables within his surrealist apocalyptic works.
Part of the younger generation of the Art and Liberty group, artists in the Contemporary Art Group were exposed to an older circle of artists who produced works greatly affected by the economic and social inequalities following the end of World War II. Depicting distorted perspectives and gruesome apocalyptic imagery of death, Art and Liberty’s surrealist works were noted as ‘Subjective Realism’ by Ramses Younane in 1938, incorporating recognizable symbols to develop a distinct visual language into works that were driven by the subconscious impulse. Although produced a decade later than the Art and Liberty’s Subjective Realism phase, the surrealist works of Habschi adhere to the ideals of the Contemporary Art group, in that they promoted the individual styles of artists to take shape, with techniques and trends that reflected each artist’s personality. As the group states, ‘The way for humans to master these new values surrounding them is to open up their stagnant feelings and awaken their unconscious perception’ (“Abd al-Hadi al-Jazzar: Fanan al-Thawra,” al-Majalla, no. 124 (april 1967) 82-84).
The present work titled Naufrages (Shipwreck) presents a scene in complete destruction and decay; the weather and the unidentified place begets fear, isolation and anxiety. The central ‘shipwrecked’ structure is ripe with symbolism and savage imagery, and in many ways upholds elements similar to that of a heart. With vein and artery-like elements protruding from its decayed body, attached to the structure is also bird wings and hair, referencing living elements that were at one time present. In many ways, this decayed being and the scattered elements present throughout represent a collapsed civilisation reaping at one time with science, literature, architectural innovation, trade and commerce. A small owl perches above the destruction, while mechanical gears, thick rope, dislocated columns and paper leaflets are connected to the central structure. Most intriguing is the rocket seen at the base of the composition; fallen to the broken tiled floor with insect wings, it is tied to the columns holding up the structure.
Naufrages (Shipwreck) is heavy with symbolism, appearing at a time right after the end of World War II and the Beginning of the Cold War Era. Indicative of both Egyptian local and global events, this surrealist composition is a testament to the post destruction and anxiety inflicted from the war. During the same year in 1948, Israel imposed its state in the heart of Palestine, prompting nationalist sentiments and which many artists articulated in their works. The rise of modern nation-states, responding to the ever-changing tide of colonial past/present was awakening at this time. The rocket in the composition is powerfully symbolic as well, appearing at the same time in history when the Soviet Union landed the first rocket in space and NASA launched the first monkey in space.
Habschi lived sometime of his childhood in Indonesia, then at the young age of 13, he left for the Netherlands for a few months, and ultimately ended up in Egypt where he spent the majority of his life. After completing his high school education at the Farouk I School, he was admitted to the Medicine faculty of Cairo where he studied for 4 years.
Upon completing his higher education, he studied for a diploma in calligraphy. In 1949 he left Egypt and returned to the Netherlands and didn’t return until 1953 when he started to actively exhibit with the Contemporary Art Group. At the time, Habschi was seen as an outcast from the traditional Egyptian picturesque Renaissance style, producing works that identified with a more universal character as he incorporated his global background.