
Noor Soussi
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Provenance:
Property from the collection of AbdulMagid Breish, London
Published:
Louisa Macmillan, Mysa Kafil-Hussain et others, In Vested Interests: from Passion to Patronage, The AbdulMagid Breish Collection of Arab Art, Skira, Milan, 2020
Part of a series entitled The Presence of Place, this painting by Zeinab al-Sageny explores time, specifically memories of childhood in the context of the Egyptian countryside. With rolling hills and fields, animals and pyramids in the distance, a child lies across her despondent mother, perhaps taking a break from working the fields, animals and crops. Lying in the sun, at the foot of a beautifully conceived and delicately painted tree, these figures exude a sense of exhaustion as well as innocence, especially on the part of the child. A chicken sits on the mother's shoulder, facing the child and spreading its wings, symbolising a desire for freedom. For Sageny, the "presence of place" is embodied by the surrounding peaceful atmosphere, small intricate details, and the distant view. The fact that the child is stuck in a particular time and place contributes to her nostalgia and longing for a time gone by.
-Mysa Kafil-Hussain