Maha Ibrahim
Maha is a large and medium-scale abstract expressionist painter who has been exhibiting her works in Egypt, North Africa, and the Middle East since 2017. Only 30, her young age belies the extent of her great talent and depth of creative output.
Cairo-based artist, Maha Ibrahim, has been honing her painting and sculpting skills for the past 12 years, starting from her study at the Faculty of Art Education in Cairo, in parallel with commissioned oil painting reproductions.
After graduation, she joined the local staff of a foreign diplomatic mission, a full-time interpreter/translator job that allowed her to explore and learn about local, regional, and international issues, gaining a wider perspective of the world, peoples’ most critical needs, and issues of common concern.
Unintentionally, she started reflecting on the woes she absorbed daily, producing tens of paintings consisting of piles of shoes, torn toys, weapons of war, elements of destruction, refugees, mass exodus, and famines.
Being Egyptian, Maha’s credo is deeply rooted in her heart and mind. She adopted the image of the scale and its embodiment of justice as her hero element, and the white feather as a symbol of lightness, and justice that had to be carried out in the spirit of truth on one side of the scale and piles of garbage on the other.
Maha’s paintings at MAD.KAT show a lighter side, but one that reflects her love of her Egyptian heritage, often incorporating ancient symbolism and depictions of the Nile and nature in a style that is very reminiscent of mid-century modern abstraction.
Technically, she utilizes textured layers of paste, acrylic, or oil colors, to provide an abstract Expressionism atmosphere on Egyptian cotton canvas.
Luxor International Art Symposium, December 2016, Luxor, Egypt
7x7 Group Exhibition, CAB Gallery, April 2017, Amman, Jordan
Ayla International Art Symposium, November 2017, Aqaba, Jordan
The Contemporary Visual Arts Symposium, January 2018, Luxor, Egypt
“MODERNISM” group exhibition, Embassy of the Republic of Serbia, June 2018, Cairo, Egypt
CAB International Painting Symposium, July 2018, Amman, Jordan
Amman Arabian Festival, June 2019, Amman, Jordan
Al Maken International Painting Symposium, September 2019, Kerkennah Islands, Tunisia
Al Burullus International Symposium for walls and boats, October 2019, Kafr AL Sheikh, Egypt
Doha Youth Innovation Award, Visual Arts sector. November, 2019, Doha, Qatar
“Together” Group Exhibition, Gallery Art-Mazag, November 2020, Cairo, Egypt
“Scale & Fate” Group Exhibition, Dai Gallery, March 2023, Cairo, Egypt
“in·ter·con·nec·tion" Group Exhibition, MAD.KAT Gallery, October 2023, Rancho Mirage, California, USA
Incentive Award - 34th YOUTH SALON, Egyptian Ministry of Culture - Cairo Opera House 2023
“Luxor Inspiration” International Painting Symposium, May 2024, Luxor, Egypt
Maha Ibrahim, Eternal Landscape 3, 15.75" x 31.5", Acrylic on Egyptian Cotton Canvas, 2024, $600
Available for Purchase, INQUIRE HERE