BIRD FAMILY
signed and dated KAMAL 2005 lower right; inscribed on the reverse
oil on canvas
81.28 x 60.96cm; 32 x 24in
83.82 x 63.5cm; 33 x 25in (framed)

Property of the Kamal E Youssef Family Trust, Pittsburgh

Provenance
Acquired directly from the artist

Exhibited
Lorretto, Pennsylvania, Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, Wall to Wall Kamal, 2014

Working in both painting and sculpture, Youssef's subjects and genres include portraits, often of solitary figures with melancholic and introvert undertones, as well as scenes of everyday life, often paired with symbolic motives like animals or religious iconography. Inspired by his international career, he successfully synthesises local and regional traditions with Western influences, making valuable contributions to both Egyptian and international Surrealism.

During his teenage years, Youssef underwent rigorous training in art under a number of prominent artists known for their engagement with Egyptian Surrealism. In 1939, he joined the Art and Liberty Group, one of the most prominent art movements of the time and in 1946, he was a founding member of the Contemporary Art Group and played a crucial role in the development of Egypt's modern art movement. After the 1952 revolution, Youssef made his home in Paris before moving to the US where he worked as an engineer for 20 years.

His work has been shown in numerous solo and group exhibitions, including The Sharjah Art Foundation (2016); Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, Loretto, USA (2014); Bakersfield Museum of Art, USA (2008); Westmoreland Museum of Art, Greensburg, USA (1993); Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, USA (1962); Mediterranean Biennale, Alexandria, Egypt (1955); Museum of Modern Art, Cairo (1952); São Paulo Biennale (1952) and Venice Biennale (1950). Kamal also participated in the 1939 exhibition organised by the Art and Liberty Group, and in several of the Contemporary Art Group’s collective exhibitions between 1946 and 1954.