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Dina El-Sioufi

@dgfakhry9

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PhD: Hans Bellmer & Expérience of Violence, UCL, 2006.
„Musik als existentielle Erfahrung“ - Helmut Lachenmann. Music as Thinking-Vision - No NFT

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Thaïs ce soir, mon Alexandrie.
Oil and gold oil on linen. 165/150 cm.
( Nearly there..)

Inspiration Egyptian Art/ Jules Massenet, Thaïs, 1894- sweetly exquisite opera set in 4th Century AD Alexandria. Opera is based on Anatole France, Thaïs 1890-novel about an Alexandrian courtesan and a zealous Christian priest set upon converting her to a life of piety. Result is disastrous- she converts and ends up dying in convent with priest Athanael rushing to her side with the realisation that his zealousness was driven by his burning desire for her. Belated tragic self- discovery via trying to change another I guess. Not very pleasant…
The writing far right from opera reads : Philosopher orgueilleux l’âme humaine est faible contre les charmes de démon! And invisible bottom “ It goes on being Alexandria still” Exiles, Constantine Cavafy 1914-poem.
The title “Thaïs, ce soir” is a nod to Pierre Klossowski, Roberte ce soir . The idea is that one is never the same person from one moment/evening to the next. … and mon Alexandrie is for my city. Cavafy’s Exiles is a question of destiny taking many forms - even if self inflicted. by @dgfakhry9

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a month ago

A Collection destined for the Sea - Social Caricature
Working on
Oil on linen. 165/145 cm

Inspiration Hildesheimer/Henze, Das Einde einer Welt ( please see previous post)

Figure right represents the frivolous socialite collector - Countess Montecristo ( acquired title) . The figure left needs to sell his collection to survive. His most important belonging is the Marat (French revolutionary assassinated) bathtub. The countess wants it. Hence the sale and invitation to her exclusive island - which eventually sinks.
The writing by the male figure from text reads “ I saw that I had gained a certain prestige in her eyes because of my possession of such a collector’s item”
… !!! It also got him invited except that luckily he escaped as the island with all on it was drowning by @dgfakhry9

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2 months ago

Das Ende einer Welt.
(Experimental phase )
Oil on linen. 150/130 cm.

The last posts explain the inspiration- Wolfgang Hildesheimer theatre of the absurd 1951-novel . There the protagonist sells the bathtub that Marat (French revolutionary) was murdered in to the eccentric countess Montecristo. He then gets invited to her special island that excels in parties for her snob fake elite friends. This ends with the island sinking along with the countess and friends. Whereas the protagonist escapes in time. Writing not visible here reads ,’ Outside is the moon. It shines as though nothing were happening. And yet a world- in the truest sense of that word- is sinking. ‘ Hans Werner Henze composes the opera 1953 with Hildesheimer libretto - revised version 1993.
And yes Symbolist Swiss painter Arnold Böcklin, Toteninsel, the evocative magnificent painting/s a definite influence here. Böcklin painted 6 versions of his Isle of the Dead painting - inspired artists and composers among them Rachmaninov same name composition. by @dgfakhry9

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2 months ago

Théâtre de la Musique égarée
Oil on linen. 165/145cm
( more texturing needed and arm adjustments etc etc.)
Figure is inspired by the strange/mystic-character Doña Musique in Claudel, Le Soulier de satin. The writing left and right are quotes from there where music becomes a metaphor for man’s destiny/ humanity (simply put). Left, “ Celui qui ne sait plus parler, qu’il chante.” Right, “ Ce n’est pas nous qui faisons la musique, elle est là, rien n’y échappe, il n’y a qu’à s’adapter, il n’y a qu’à nous y enfoncer jusqu’au pardessus les oreilles.”. The idea also being the ability to “ listen psychologically”not just “hear physiologically”…. The masks behind Doña Musique are also a disguised reference to the wonderful philosopher psychiatrist Frantz Fanon, Peau noire masques blancs, 1952 - especially since a good deal a colonialism and racism is depicted in Le Soulier de Satin… by @dgfakhry9

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2 months ago

Le Soulier de satin’s Angelus Novus
(Detail - still needs adjustments)
Oil on linen.150/140cm

Continuing with Claudel, Le Soulier de satin/Dalbavie beautiful opera. This is inspired by the encounter of Doña Prouhéze with her angel. The conversation intensely love-erotic with divine moments made me think perhaps Claudel had in mind Santa Teresa d’Avila’s confessions/Bernini sculpture of the Saint; but made me think of Walter Benjamin’s words in his darkest moments (Theses on History), evoked by Paul Klee, Angelus Novus, 1920, acquired by Benjamin 1921. Claudel’s theatre /opera also are about Spain’s Golden Age based upon Spain’s colonialist conquests and a good deal of racism… with the love story oscillating between eroticism; the sacred and profane. The writing beneath the shoe held by angel ( not visible here) are quotes from Benjamin, “ His face is turned toward the last. Where we perceive a chain of events , he sees one single catastrophe… the angel would like to stay, awaken the dead, make whole… But a storm is blowing from Paradise; got caught in his wings.. with such violence that the angel can no longer close them. The storm irresistibly propels him into the future to which his back is turned, while a pile of debris before him grows skyward. The storm is what we call progress”
I have added parts of Tim Ashley (The Guardian) ‘ s excellent article regarding Le Soulier plus Benjamin’s poignant, very actual piece and last an image of Klee, Angelus Novus. by @dgfakhry9

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3 months ago

Il y a des choses que le hasard n’est pas propre à terminer..
oil on linen. 150/140cm
Working on.

Inspired by Claudel-theatre text/Marc-André Dalbavie-opera, Le Soulier de satin.

The figure “announces “ the opera and the writing in painting from his text reads, “ C’est ce que vous ne comprenez pas qui est le plus beau, c’est ce qui est le plus long qui est le plus intéressent et c’est ce que vous ne trouverez pas amusant qui est le plus drôle. “ #paulclaudel #marcandrédalbavie #soulierdesatin #contemporaryopera #contemporarypainting by @dgfakhry9

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3 months ago

A painting “ experiment“ . Le Soulier de Satin.
needs touches and more texturing
It is part of a series working on.
Oil on linen. 110/75cm

Inspired by Marc-André Dalbavie, Le Soulier de satin, 2017-21-opéra, based upon Paul Claudel, Le Soulier de satin, 1931 - Claudel’s important theatre piece - lasts circa 11 hours… Claudel dedicates this to his friend and often collaborator the wonderful Catalan painter Josep Maria Sert - famous during his lifetime-but almost forgotten today. Apart from his stunning murals and paintings, Sert collaborated on sets with Richard Strauss, Manuel de Falla among others. Claudel’s piece (Dalbavie-opera) explores human and divine love, desire, longing, religion… set in the Spanish Empire Golden Age and having the world as stage.
The first act/day has the scene of a married Donna Prouhéze placing her satin slipper in the lap of the statue of the Madonna to avoid temptation in her longing for Don Rodrigue… the whole thing ends in tragedy of course. And no the female figure in painting is not Santa Teresa en extase gone terribly wrong but Prouhéze dreamîng of her Don Rodrigue.
The writing is Claudel, “L’order est le plaisir de la raison mais le désordre est le délice de l’imagination.”
And “Le pire n’est pas toujours sûr “ or is it …
#paulclaudel #contemporaryopera #egyptianpainter #contemporarymusic #marcandrédalbavie by @dgfakhry9

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3 months ago

The Trial or The Ongoing Mockery of Justice. Alice in Wonderland.
Oil on linen. 175/135cm.
(Nearly there)

The Queen of Hearts ordering heads to roll off at whim with her zombie jury. And a little Alice horrified at the injustice finally crying out “ You’re nothing but a pack of cards” . The writing - hardly visible- on Queen of “ Hearts” reads: “the Queen of Hearts she baked some tarts” this of course is Carroll’s ( and in Chin’s opera) a hidden sarcasm about the massacre the Queen revels in…
The jurors are all inspired by & after the wonderful James Ensor.
Part of a series of 3 ( see previous posts) inspired by Lewis Carroll and brilliant South Korean composer Unsuk Chin, Alice in Wonderland, 2007, based on Lewis Carroll.
#lewiscarroll #aliceinwonderland #contemporaryopera #contemporarypainting #egyptianpainters by @dgfakhry9

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4 months ago

Alice in Wonderland. It is always 6 o’clock. It is always Tea Time.
Oil on linen. 165/150 cm
Working on - bad photo as usual..
This is the second of a series of 3-4 Alice in Wonderland - paintings.

Inspired by Unsuk Chin , Alice in Wonderland, 2007 (see previous post ) based on Lewis Carroll.
The central figure represents the Mad Hatter
and is after an Oscar Schlemmer Bauhaus ballet drawing. Lewis drew the Mad Hatter character as a disguised political critique of the use of mercury that induces mad hallucinations in creating nobility & gentlemen’s hats. Many workers were poisoned and went mad just to make these “ elegant “ top hats. Despite the tragic consequences of mercury use this practice wasn’t abolished until the mid-1940s when mercury was needed for arm factories… !!! Time has definitely stood still… by @dgfakhry9

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4 months ago

What Garden is this? A garden with no flowers. Alice in Wonderland
(Almost there)
Oil on linen. 150/140cm

Inspired by South Korean composer Unsuk Chin, Alice in Wonderland, 2007 brilliant opera. Based on Lewis Carroll but also looking at Douglas R. Hofstadter, Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid, 1979, book that explores relation between cognitive consciousness/logic and creativity ( music, art..)

The figure of Alice undergoes different sizes as she drinks various potions. Carroll’s story is filked with symbolism often sinister- political that would have resonated with Victorian English Society. The Queen of Hearts there demanding roses be coloured red and screaming “ off with their heads” was a nod to the war ( of the Roses) between the Dukes of Lancaster(emblem the red rose) and York ( white rose) wearing the wrong colour cost one’s life… and the wilful tyranny of those in power /obtaining power. In the last scene of Chin’s opera, a bewildered Alice surrounded by emptiness asks “ What garden is this? A garden with no flowers … the earth is dead barren no beauty .. no value ..” which is the writing across the figure. The two roses in her hand symbolise the destruction that comes with being of the “wrong”colour … that turns gardens into barren wasteland. Yet the opera itself ends with - left-handed - optimism “ she is too young too foolish to see that the earth holds so much life”.
#aliceinwonderland #unsukchin #contemporaryopera #contemporarypainting #egyptianpainters by @dgfakhry9

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4 months ago

Das Schloss.
( Nearly there)
Oil on linen. 150/140 cm
Inspiration Aribert Reimann 1992 opera with Max Brod libretto after Frank Kafka,1926. (Please see last two posts ) . It has about alienation, the outsider that can never enter/feel at home ..the protagonist K invited as surveyor tries to enter “ the castle “ but to no avail.
The writing taken from The Castle are not clear yet …” “ In the first place nobody knows what it is really, but the castle changes a person the longer they live in it.” by @dgfakhry9

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5 months ago

Casida De La Rosa e l’immaginazione di Don Perlimplin
(Detail- working on)
Oil on linen. 150//145cm

Inspiration Bruno Maderna, Don Perlimplin ovvero il trionfo dell’amore e dell’immaginazione, 1962 opera inspired by/based on by Federico Garcia Lorca, Amor de Don Perlimplin con Belisa en su jardin - which also inspired Luigi Nono, Der Rote Mantel ballet ( please see previous post). The writing is Lorca’ poem, Casida de la Rosa, from his Diwan del Tamarit 1936.
It talks of the search for something that is unknown… (put simplistically). by @dgfakhry9

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5 months ago