Crafting a World of Color and Contradiction:

My Journey as an Egyptian artist

Shayma Kamel, born in Giza, Egypt, in 1980, is a painter whose work transcends borders, both geographically and emotionally. Living and working between Egypt and Lebanon, Kamel has established herself as a unique voice in contemporary art, blending deeply personal narratives with universal themes. Her art is not just a visual experience but a journey into the complexities of human emotion, memory, and identity.

For Shayma, art is a space where emotions, thoughts, and memories are preserved and transformed. Each piece she creates is a testament to her life’s joys, struggles, and transformations. This deeply personal approach sets her apart from other artists, as her work becomes a living record of her evolving self. Drawing, for Kamel, is not merely an act of creation but an act of preservation, a way to capture fleeting moments and emotions that might otherwise be lost to time.

 

 

Kamel’s artistic style is as dynamic as her subject matter. She regularly experiments with different mediums and techniques, making her work both variable and constant. This versatility allows her to explore the multifaceted nature of her themes, particularly the challenges faced by women in Arab societies, with a focus on Cairo. Her paintings often depict the Egyptian persona in a way that is both haunting and enchanting, a duality that lies at the heart of her artistic vision.

Central to Kamel’s work is the exploration of contradiction—beauty and pain, strength and vulnerability, tradition and modernity. Her large-scale paintings are not just visually striking but emotionally resonant, inviting viewers to engage with the layered narratives she presents. Through her art, Kamel captures the essence of the human experience, offering a profound reflection on identity, society, and the passage of time.

Since her first solo exhibition at Cairo Atelier in 2004, Kamel has exhibited her work internationally, including in Bahrain, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, France, the Netherlands, and Lebanon. Her ability to connect with diverse audiences while staying true to her unique perspective is a testament to her skill and vision as an artist. 

At the heart of Shayma Kamel’s practice is a focus on women and their challenges within Arab societies, with a particular lens on Cairo’s vibrant yet complex landscape. Her large-scale paintings, both haunting and enchanting, capture the essence of the Egyptian persona, weaving a narrative of contradiction that serves as the conceptual backbone of her work. Kamel’s versatility shines through her use of diverse mediums and techniques—elements that remain both constant and ever-changing in her artistic output.

From her early group exhibitions to her recent solo exhibitions, Kamel’s art reflects a dialogue between reality and imagination. Her paintings invite viewers into a world where societal expectations clash with personal truths, offering a poignant commentary on identity and resilience.

Shayma Kamel’s work is a celebration of the personal and the universal, a testament to the power of art to preserve, provoke, and inspire.