| The exhibition features 59 paintings that capture the cultural influence embodied in the work of Egyptian artist, Kamal Youssef, most notably that of the flattened figures, minimalist shapes and burning colors of ancient Egyptian tomb art.
Born in Cairo in 1923, Youssef has been painting for more than 60 years. As a youngster, Youssef was greatly influenced by his maternal grandfather, Mohammed Swelem el-Bekri, Imam of the district mosque, who himself was the grandson of the head of Al-Azhar, the great Islamic school, founded in the 10th century. After immigrating to the United States in 1957, Youssef worked as an engineer for a Pittsburgh-based firm for 27 years, designing highway overpasses and steel mills.
Kamal Youssef has exhibited in the Venice, Alexandria and Sao Paulo Biennales and his work is in collections at the Museums of Modern Art in Cairo, Alexandria and Paris.
The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art Web Site
Kamal Youssef Web Site
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