Muhammad Al-Sayed Abla

Personal data

Known name: Muhammad Abla
Date of birth: 9/27/1953
Place of birth: Dakahlia
Specialization: Photography
Email: ablart@masrawy.com,
ablart@hotmail.com

school grade

- Bachelor’s degree from the Faculty of Fine Arts, Department of Photography, Alexandria University, 1977.
- Diploma from the College of Fine Arts 1978.
- Studied at the College of Arts and Industries (Sculpture) in Zurich - Switzerland 1981.

Jobs and professions undertaken by the artist

- Director of the Opera’s Fine Arts Hall for six months in 1990.
- Visiting Professor of Arts, Örebro School, Sweden.
- Chairman of the Board of Directors of Cairo Atelier 2010.

Places where the artist lived

- Mansoura.
Alexandria.
- Cairo.
Madrid.
- Germany - North Germany.
- Austria.
- Zurich - Basel.

Special exhibitions

- Exhibition at the Spanish Cultural Center in Cairo, 1977.
- Exhibition at Hofmann Gallery, Germany, 1979.
- A group of exhibitions in Germany from 1981, 1984 to 1986.
- Onal Gallery exhibition, Neuenaron, Netherlands, 1989.
- Atelier exhibition in Cairo 1991.
- Exhibition at the Small Museum Affoltern, Zurich, 1991.
- Exhibition at the Egyptian Academy in Rome - Italy 1991.
- Exhibition at Örebro Art Hall - Sweden 1991.
- Cairo Exhibition - Berlin 1992.
- Netherlands Gallery Exhibition 1994.
- Exhibition in Al-Mashrabiya Hall 1994, 1995, 1997.
- An exhibition of video art at the Hanager Center 1995.
- Volksbank Heiden Heim Exhibition - Hamburg - Germany 1996.
- (The Nile) Exhibition at the Goethe Institute 1998.
- Arabesque Exhibition (Views from Vermont) 1999.
- Exhibition at Dusseldorf Art Gallery 1999.
- Exhibition at Ahmed Sabry Hall 2000.
- Gallery exhibition at the Opera.
- Art Hall Orebro Exhibition, Sweden.
- Exhibitions at Corber Gallery and Hoffman Gallery, Sweden.
- Art Hall Sweden Exhibition.
- Exhibition (Alone by the Nile and the Trees) in the Art Hall in Zamalek, 2002.
- Exhibition in Akhenaten Halls (1, 4a, 4b) at the Arts Complex in Zamalek, February 2002.
- Exhibition (Cairo... Pictures of the City) at Zamalek Arts Hall, December 2004.
- An exhibition entitled (The Family) at the Zamalek Arts Hall, 2006.
- Exhibition at the Creativity Center in Mohandiseen 2007.
- An exhibition entitled (A Trip to India) at the Indian Cultural Center in central Cairo, May 2009.
- (City Lights) exhibition at Zamalek Arts Hall, December 2009.
- Exhibition (The Nile and the Trees) at the Zamalek Arts Hall, October 2010.
- (Washoush Al-Fayoum) Exhibition at (Art Corner) Hall in Zamalek, May 2010.
- Exhibition at the Gezira Arts Center in Zamalek, November 2010.
- (Cairo Towers) exhibition at Zamalek Art Hall, December 2010.
- (Family) exhibition at Art Space Hall in Dubai, April 2012.
- (The Road to Liberation) exhibition in the Al-Bab Hall of the Museum of Modern Egyptian Art, April 2012.
- Exhibition at Art Corner Hall in Zamalek, January 2013.
- (Searching for Light - Fayoum) exhibition at the Egyptian Center for International Cultural Cooperation in Zamalek, April 2013.
- (Stories of Maryam) exhibition in (Mashrabiya) Hall in the center of the country, June 2015.
- Exhibition (A Visit to India) at the Indian Cultural Center in cooperation, August 2015.
- Exhibition (On the Silk Road) in the Ofoq Hall at the Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil and Harama Museum, November 2016.
- Exhibition (A Glimpse of Heritage) at Safar Khan Hall in Zamalek, January 2017.
- Exhibition (Cairo... People and Streets) at Boushahri Arts Hall in Kuwait, March 2017.
- (Luxor My Love) exhibition on the sidelines of the Luxor African Film Festival in March 2017.
- “Ali Baba’s Cave” exhibition at the Greek Campus Gallery in the Greek Cultural Club in Cairo, December 2017.
- (Silk Road) exhibition in (Hamid Owais) Hall at the Museum of Fine Arts in Alexandria, February 2018.
- Exhibition (Outside the Cadre) at the Misr Gallery in Zamalek, April 2018.
- Exhibition (The Journey of Travel) at Safarkhan Gallery, January 2019.
- “Playing with Fire” exhibition at Samah Gallery in Zamalek, February 2020.
- (Alfa) exhibition at (Safarkhan) Gallery in Zamalek, February 2021.
- An exhibition entitled (Tales) at the Dha Gallery of Arts and Culture in Zamalek, May 2022.
- An exhibition entitled (City Nights) at (Eram) Gallery in Riyadh, December 2022.
An exhibition entitled (City Nights) at the Gallery (Egypt) in Cairo, December 2022.

Local group exhibitions

- Vanguard exhibitions since 1978.
- Cairo Exhibition in the Eyes of Artists 1985.
- General Exhibition of Fine Arts, session (21) 1990.
- General Exhibition of Fine Arts, session (22) 1991.
- Exhibition at the American University in Cairo 1993.
- National Fine Arts Exhibition, session (24) 1995.
- Exhibition at the Hanager Center, Cairo Opera House, 1995.
- A joint exhibition with the artist Randa Shaat entitled (In the Heart of the Nile) at Cairo Atelier 1999.
- National Fine Arts Exhibition, session (27) 2001.
- Fifth Salon of Small Works of Art 2002.
- Exhibition (drawings) at the American University in Cairo 2002.
- National Fine Arts Exhibition, session (28), 2003.
- A joint exhibition with the artist / Sabah Mustafa, the artist / Hani Rashed, and the artist / Ibrahim Mohamed Abla, in the halls of (Mohamed Nagy - Rateb Siddiq - Tahia Halim) at Cairo Atelier 2004.
- National Graphic Art Exhibition, third session 2005.
- The Light of Shape Exhibition - Second Session at the Palace of Arts, October 2005.
- “Ramadaniyat” Exhibition at Cairo Atelier, October 2005.
- The Third Fine Arts Festival at the Alexandria Creativity Center of the National Society for Fine Arts, August 2006.
- (Identity) exhibition in the exhibition hall of the Karma Ibn Hani Cultural Center in the Ahmed Shawky Museum, November 2006.
- Artist’s Book Exhibition at the Gezira Arts Center, June 2006.
- The First Fine Creativity Festival (Thirtieth General Exhibition and First Fine Art Market) 2007.
- (Art and Giving) Exhibition at the Orouba Rotary Club 2007.
- An exhibition entitled (Impressions on Paper) in Zamalek Hall 2007.
- (What's Happening Now) Exhibition at the Palace of Arts 2007.

The twentieth salon of the National Society of Fine Arts in the Fine Arts Hall and the Music Library in the Opera House, February 2008.
- Gallery Salon, second session, at Karim Francis Hall, May 2008.
- Layali Al-Mahrousa Exhibition in the Citadel Museum, September 2008.
- Exhibition (Faces from Egypt) at the Portrait Gallery in Bab El Louk 2008.
- Exhibition (For Gaza) at Cairo Atelier, January 2009.
- Exhibition (Contemporary Egyptian Photography 1) in the Exhibition Hall of the Karma Ibn Hani Center in the Ahmed Shawky Museum, March 2009.
- The Third Fine Creativity Festival (General Exhibition, Thirty-Second Session) 2009.
- (Faces) exhibition in One Horizon Hall - Muhammad Mahmoud Khalil Museum and his wife, December 2009.
- Exhibition (Why La), contemporary art exhibition - in the halls of the Palace of Arts, Opera House, 2010.
- National Society of Fine Arts Salon (twenty-first session) at Cairo Atelier, May 2010.
- (A Touch of Love) exhibition in the Fine Arts Hall of the Music Library, May 2010.
- Drawing Art Salon (Black - White), second session at Al Jazeera Arts Center, July 2010.
- The Fourth Fine Creativity Festival (General Exhibition, Thirty-Third Session) 2010.
- (Model) Exhibition in (Cordoba) Hall, Mohandiseen, July 2010.
- Group exhibition 1990 - 2010 in Al-Mashrabiya Hall, June 2010.
- Atelier Salon (Fifty-Ninth) at Cairo Atelier, September 2010.
- (Faces of Fayoum) exhibition at Art Corner Gallery 2010.
- Exhibition (A Contemporary Vision of the Human Body) at the Palace of Arts, October 2010.
- (Mother Egypt) exhibition at the Zamalek Art Hall in Zamalek, March 2011.
- (Egypt Our Country) exhibition at (Khan Al-Maghrabi) Hall in Zamalek, March 2011.
- “Our Egypt” exhibition at the Ibdaa Fine Arts Hall in Zamalek, April 2011.
- National Society of Fine Arts Exhibition in the Main Hall of Fine Arts at the Cairo Opera House, May 2011.
- (Artistic Visions) exhibition at the Gezira Arts Center, July 2011.
- Exhibition (drawings) at the Misr Gallery of Contemporary Art in Zamalek, February 2012.
- (A Touch of Loyalty) exhibition in memory of Samir Abdel Khaleq at Art Corner Gallery in Zamalek, June 2013.
- General Fine Arts Exhibition, session (36), June 2014.
- The First Ramadan Salon at the Darb (1718) Center for Contemporary Culture and Arts in Fustat - Old Cairo, July 2014.
- Salon (White - Black), third session, at the Gezira Arts Center in Zamalek, February 2015.
- General Exhibition of Fine Arts, session (37) 2015.
- National Graphic Art Exhibition, fourth session 2016.
- General Fine Arts Exhibition, session (38), May 2016.
- (Cairo Art Fair 2) exhibition at Arts Mart Gallery, December 2016.
- Exhibition at Safar Khan Hall in Zamalek, June 2017.
- Exhibition at Soma Gallery for Visual Arts, August 2017.
- The Annual Salon of the National Society for Fine Arts in the Salah Taher Fine Arts Hall at the Opera House, January 2018.
- (Octagon) exhibition at the Misr Gallery in Zamalek, July 2018.
- Exhibition (The Artist’s Book 2) in the Isis Hall, Mahmoud Mukhtar Cultural Center, Mahmoud Mukhtar Museum, January 2019 (guest of honor).
- National Association Salon in my hall (Nahdet Misr - ISIS) at the Mahmoud Mukhtar Cultural Center, April 2019 (guest of honor).
- (As I Am) exhibition at Egypt Gallery, September 2019.
- General Fine Arts Exhibition, session (41), February 2020.
- Exhibition (Contemporary Existence) at the French Institute in Alexandria, March 2020.
- An exhibition entitled (Arabic Selections), the third at the Dha Gallery for Arts and Culture in Mohandessin, May 2021.
- An exhibition entitled (Summer 2021) at Azad Gallery in Zamalek, July 2021.
- General Fine Arts Exhibition, session (42), August 2021.
- Exhibition at Odyssey Gallery in Heliopolis, October 2021.
- “The Journey” exhibition in the Hamed Owais Hall at the Museum of Fine Arts in Alexandria, November 2021.
- The First Salon of Contemporary Art (Installation in Space) at the Palace of Arts, November 2021.
- Exhibition (Contemporary Portrait... Day/Indoor) at (Cordoba) Gallery, Mohandiseen, January 2022.
- An exhibition entitled (The Scene) at the Arts Complex (Aisha Fahmy Palace) in Zamalek, March 2022.
- An exhibition entitled (Arabic Selections), the fourth exhibition at the Dha Gallery for Arts and Culture in Mohandiseen, June 2022.
- General Fine Arts Exhibition (43rd) at the Palace of Arts, September 2022.
- An exhibition entitled (Take Care of Zuzu) at (Villa Odyssey) Hall in Korba, Heliopolis - January 2023.
- An exhibition entitled (Egyptian Tales) at (Villa Odyssey) Hall in Korba, Heliopolis - February 2023.
- An exhibition entitled (Colors of Joy) at the Garden of Art Gallery in Sheikh Zayed, March 2023.
- An exhibition entitled (Contemporary Portrait... Birthplace: A Poem) at the Gallery (Córdoba), March 2023.
- Exhibition at Demi Gallery in Zamalek - May 2023.
- An exhibition entitled (Arabic Selections 2023) at the Dha Gallery for Arts and Culture in Mohandiseen and Zamalek, July 2023.
- An exhibition entitled (Summer Selections) at (Villa Odyssey) Hall in Korba, Heliopolis - August 2023.

International group exhibitions/overseas exhibitions

- Sharjah Biennial 1993.
- Graphic Biennale Finland 1993.
- Grenich Triennale, Switzerland, 1993.
- EXILON International Graphic Association Exhibition in 1993.
- Sapporo Triennale, Japan.
- Kuwait Biennale 1996.
- The Sixth Cairo International Biennale 1996.
- Alexandria Biennale for Mediterranean Countries, session (19) 1997.
- The Third Egypt International Triennale for Graphic Art 2000.
- Vanguards of Contemporary Egyptian Art Exhibition in Argentina (selections from the works of four artists) 2001.
- Havana International Biennale 2003.
- The Fourth Egypt International Triennale for Graphic Art 2003.
- The Second International Book Fiction Biennale at the Alexandria Library, 2005.
- Mediterranean Trilogy Exhibition for Contemporary Art in Marseille, France 2008.
- Contemporary Egyptian Art Exhibition - Tripoli, Libya 2008.
- Maze Exhibition, Zamalek Art Hall - Cairo.

The Twenty-fifth Alexandria Biennale for Mediterranean Countries, 2009.
- Egyptian Fine Arts Exhibition (Havana - Cuba), July 2010.
- The Fifth Luxor International Photography Forum, Luxor, November 2012.
- An exhibition of the products of the Luxor International Forum at the Egyptian Academy of Arts in Rome, March 2015.
- The Second Burullus International Forum for Painting on Walls and Boats, Kafr El-Sheikh, October 2015.
- Ostraka International Arts Festival, Sharm El Sheikh, October 2016.
- The Third Cairo International Forum for the Art of Arabic Calligraphy at the Palace of Arts - August 2017 (guest of honor).
- The Fifth International Burullus Forum for Painting on Walls and Boats in Kafr El-Sheikh, October 2018.
- Sharm El Sheikh International Arts Forum, December 2018.
- Burullus International Forum, the (ninth) session of drawing on walls and boats, Kafr El-Sheikh, November 2022.

Technical visits

- Art museums: Germany - Spain - Austria - Switzerland - Sweden - Denmark - France - Netherlands - Yugoslavia - Italy.
- A visit to the Vermont State Center - USA 1998.

Scholarships and grants

- A six-month grant provided by the Swiss Cultural Foundation Prohelstia to the city of Basel - Switzerland, 1987.
- Scholarship to Germany 1994.

The technical tasks assigned to him and general contributions

- Member of the Venue Competition Committee in the (Meqayyat Khan) Hall at the Manasterly Palace in Manial.

Local and international encyclopedias containing the artist’s name

- Encyclopedia (Modern Egyptian Art), written by: Lillian Krnock, 2001.

Literature and cultural activities

- Critical writings and coverage of exhibitions in New Culture magazine and Ibdaa magazine.
- A workshop in drawing and printing. He also participated in the wax workshop, where he presented paintings close to the well-known shape and distinctive style of Fayoum faces.
- He published a book containing selections from his works, with two introductions by the poet Jamal Al-Qassas and the German critic Ute Al-Bashausen. The book sheds light on Muhammad Abla’s experience through his paintings in 2010.

Local awards

- First prize, the 18th Vanguards Exhibition, 1978.
- First prize for the exhibition (Cairo in the Eyes of Artists) 1985.
- Second prize in the General Fine Arts Exhibition, session (22) 1991.

International awards

- First prize in the Kuwait Biennale 1996.
- Grand Prize at the Alexandria Biennale, session (19) 1997.
- Honorary Award in the Third International Triennale for Graphic Art, 1999.
- German Goethe Medal Award for the year 2022.

Official collectibles

- Museum of Modern Art, Berlin, Germany.
- Örebro city - Sweden.
- Valsdouda City - Germany.

For important artistic works in the artist’s life

- Erecting a statue of Sisyphus - Germany 1994.

Other data

- Studies in psychology.
- Practice art therapy.
He began an artistic experiment in the Kom Ghorab neighborhood of Old Egypt in 1996.