Footnotes

Provenance:
Property from a private collection Cairo
Formerly in the collection of Esmat Dawastashy
Acquired directly by the above form the artist

Published:
Esmat Dawestashy, La Magie Des Formes: Effat Naghi 1905-1994, Cairo

"At the heart of the composition are two bold, zigzagging vertical forms - one in green, the other in blue - which may represent the Red Sea and the Nile, the two great natural borders that historically defined the Nubian region"

Effat Naghi's The Driving Force is an extraordinary work of three-dimensional expression, blurring the lines between sculpture, painting, and totem. Bold, architectural, and mysterious, the piece is both monumental and meditative, standing freely and commanding attention with its vivid palette and jagged geometries.

Created over two decades, between 1965 and 1985, this work was a continuously evolving project, reflecting Naghi's lifelong engagement with symbolism, ritual, and the visual language of Egyptian folk culture. At the heart of the composition are two bold, zigzagging vertical forms: one in green, the other in blue. These may represent the Red Sea and the Nile, the two great natural borders that historically defined the Nubian region. This interpretation is supported by an early 1964 study titled Le Nubie, which refers directly to this work and suggests it was conceived as a representation of Nubia - not just in geography, but in spiritual and cultural resonance.

The sharp angles, sunburst emblems, and spiral motifs reflect Naghi's personal system of visual coding, rooted in her deep interest in folk art, magical symbols, and indigenous Egyptian traditions. The sculpture acts as a visual map: one that compresses landscape, memory, and meaning into a strikingly abstract, symbolic object.

Previously in the collection of Esmat Dawestashy, a key writer and advocate of Effat Naghi's work, The Driving Force was also featured in his major book on the artist. Dawestashy not only preserved the work, but helped shape its legacy, placing it within the broader conversation about Naghi's significance in modern Egyptian art.

As one of her most ambitious pieces, and among the few works that move fully into three dimensions, The Driving Force encapsulates Naghi's unique ability to transform symbolic thinking into powerful, physical form. It remains a landmark in her oeuvre and a compelling tribute to the mysticism and enduring visual culture of Nubia.