Avedissian with his layered stenciled paintings captures the richness of urban Egyptian visual landscape and layers of visual history. He revives the popular media of 1950s Cairo – a time of political and cosmopolitan change – with portraits of popular politicians and local characters.
With the flare of a billboard advertisement and strong traces of nostalgia he gives testament to the strength of visual public culture. With his mix of symbols of ancient Egypt, with popular figures, and Ottoman textile patterns; he captures “the legacy left by colonialism, the rise of Arab nationalism and the spread of modern consumerism.”
Chant Avedissian was born in 1951 in Cairo, the son of Armenian refugees.After studying fine arts in Montreal and Paris he returned to Egypt, fusing his experiences and techniques to reflect on the world around him. His artistry ranges from photography to costume design to the painted stencils found below. His work is exhibited widely and is held by Smithsonian Institution, British Museum and more.
(read more: http://www.nmafa.si.edu/exhibits/avedissian/paintings.htm)
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