29th Oct, 2025 12:00
Modern & Contemporary African & Middle Eastern Art
38
CHANT AVEDISSIAN (EGYPTIAN 1951-2018)
AL RAYES (NASSER)
signed and inscribed in Arabic and English Al-Qāhirah / CHANT AVEDISSIAN lower centre
gouache, stencil and metallic paint on card
48.5 x 67.5cm; 19 x 26 1/2in
60.1 x 80.7cm; 23 1/2 x 31 3/4in (framed)
Property of a Private Collector, London
Provenance
Acquired from the studio of the artist in 2006 by the present owner
Chant Avedissian's stencils of Gamal Abdel Nasser form a key part of his celebrated Icons of the Nile and Cairo Stencils series, which he began in 1991. These mixed-media works, often on corrugated cardboard, feature the former Egyptian President in a simplified, iconic style, frequently alongside other cultural figures like the legendary singer Om Kalsoum. Avedissian's technique involves reusing and stylising images sourced from the Egyptian illustrated press of the 1950s and 1960s, the height of the Nasser era.
The repetition and recontextualisation of these images, often including symbols like the Eagle of Saladin and maps referencing Pan-Arabism, both celebrate and critically examine the visual culture of Nasserism, turning the heroic, propagandistic media portrayals into decorative, pattern-based art.
Sold for £3,500
AL RAYES (NASSER)
signed and inscribed in Arabic and English Al-Qāhirah / CHANT AVEDISSIAN lower centre
gouache, stencil and metallic paint on card
48.5 x 67.5cm; 19 x 26 1/2in
60.1 x 80.7cm; 23 1/2 x 31 3/4in (framed)
Property of a Private Collector, London
Provenance
Acquired from the studio of the artist in 2006 by the present owner
Chant Avedissian's stencils of Gamal Abdel Nasser form a key part of his celebrated Icons of the Nile and Cairo Stencils series, which he began in 1991. These mixed-media works, often on corrugated cardboard, feature the former Egyptian President in a simplified, iconic style, frequently alongside other cultural figures like the legendary singer Om Kalsoum. Avedissian's technique involves reusing and stylising images sourced from the Egyptian illustrated press of the 1950s and 1960s, the height of the Nasser era.
The repetition and recontextualisation of these images, often including symbols like the Eagle of Saladin and maps referencing Pan-Arabism, both celebrate and critically examine the visual culture of Nasserism, turning the heroic, propagandistic media portrayals into decorative, pattern-based art.
Auction: Modern & Contemporary African & Middle Eastern Art, 29th Oct, 2025
If you want to start collecting striking modern and contemporary art in a newly developing market, our sales are for you. Each spring and autumn, the Modern and Contemporary African and Middle Eastern Department hold tightly curated, live and online auctions. Expect to find Arab artists such as Tahia Halim, Seif Wanly, Mahmoud Said and Mohanna Durra. African artists featured have ranged from modern masters such as Ablade Glover, Sam Ntiro and Jacob Hendrik Pierneef, to contemporary artists George Lilanga, Jilali Gharbaoui, Famakan Magassa, Christano Mangovo, Oluwole Omofemi, Esther Mahlangu and Brett Seiler.
PUBLIC EXHIBITION:
Sunday 26th October: 12pm to 4pm
Monday 27th October: 10am to 8pm (Drinks 5-8pm)
Tuesday 28th October: 10am to 5pm
