Mohamed Abla

Mohamed Abla, b. 1953, Mansoura, Egypt
Family by the Bridge, 2006
Acrylic paint and inkjet on canvas
150 x 200 cm
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi

Family by the Bridge, 2006, which is part of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi collection, is a portrait of a middle-class family standing on Qasr El Nile, the Nile Bridge in Cairo. Mohammed Abla creates a sense of nostalgia by painting a large family wearing swim attire that was once popular in 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s in Egypt. This family appears as if they were gathering on the beach for a group photo. The artist places them closely together to reflect their family ties and values and reveals ideas of leisure.