Mohamed Abla
Mohamed Abla | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1953 Belqas, Mansoura, Northern Egypt |
| Occupation(s) | Painter, artist |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Known for | Abstract representations of Egyptian landscapes |
Mohamed Abla is an Egyptian painter acclaimed for his abstract representations of Egyptian landscapes. He was born in 1953 in Belqas, Mansoura, located in Northern Egypt. After spending his childhood there, he moved to Alexandria in 1973 to enroll at the faculty of fine arts at Alexandria University. He completed his studies in 1977 and then moved to Cairo to fulfill his compulsory military service.
Career beginnings
Abla embarked on a seven-year period of artistic education throughout Europe starting in 1978. His debut solo exhibitions took place in 1979 at the Hohmann Gallery in northern Germany and at the AAI Gallery in Vienna. In 1981, he pursued further training in graphics and sculpture at the Arts and Industries College in Zürich, followed by additional graphics studies in Austria in 1982.
Accomplishments
In 1985, Abla earned First Prize at the 'Cairo seen by artists' exhibition. He was awarded first prize at the Kuwait Biennale in 1996, and the Grand Prix at the Alexandria Biennale the following year, 1997. Unfortunately, a significant portion of his studio was destroyed by fire in October 1998.
In 2007, Abla established The Fayoum Art Center near Lake Qarun in Fayoum, designed as a cooperative environment for artists. The center’s concept draws from the International Summer Academy in Salzburg, where Abla serves as an instructor. Positioned amidst mountains, sand dunes, and palm trees close to notable natural landmarks such as Wadi Elrayan waterfall and Wadi Al-Hitan, the site offers an inspiring setting for landscape artists.
In 2009, he launched the Middle East's inaugural caricature museum within Fayoum's Tunis artist colony. This museum houses an extensive archive of cartoons from local newspapers and magazines dating back to the early 1900s. The buildings were contributed by Abla himself and designed by Egyptian architect Adel Fahmy.
Abla was honored with the Goethe Medal in 2022; however, he returned this award in March 2024.