In Today’s consumerist world, where it is hard to find genuine art among the heap of pretentious and commercial art that surrounds us, the School of Fine Arts of Helwan struggles to get more students in the sculpting department.

By Menna Taher and Uzzi (Technophilias webmaster)

Over the past few decades Egypt has gone through several social and political changes that make Egypt sometimes unidentifiable to those, who have lived in the 50s and 60s. Multinational corporations started taking over the market emphasizing on the consumer needs and the Salafi extremist line of thought was brought back from Egyptian emigrants, who returned from Saudi. In consequence these two ideologies were reflected in the art scene.

Student activities

Caught inside the mesh of a generation suffering from an identity crisis Ahmed Gamal a senior in sculpting believes that the sculpting scene now is based on imitation of the west. “It doesn’t relate to our culture, beliefs or concerns,” he said “in today’s art scene only the bad baseless art stands out, and the good is just buried.”

“The concerns of students now are not cultural or social or political,” said Ali Hebeish, a professor of sculpting at the faculty since 1975 “now their concerns are merely consumerist.”

According to Hebeish, the University’s activities have long decreased.

“They used to have poetry and literature clubs, as well as theatre,” he continued “but all this is not taking place anymore.”

“Students are now heading in two directions,” he added “the religious direction or the trendy direction”

Hebeish explained further that most students at the fine arts want to specialize in graphic design because it they think it is the art most fit in today’s market, however, he explained that sculpting is much needed in several fields, like car making and even for creating animation.

Sculpting in the market

Lobna El Samahy, one of the sculpting graduates last year, who now works as a freelance sculptress says that there are several opportunities to work in sculpting.

“You can work in theatre set design, you can make these small statues for tourists in Khan El Khalily, you can work for an automobile company or even for a graphics company,” she said “you know, that before creating a cartoon character, it has to be sculpted first, in order to get the three dimensions of it.”

The students in sculpting

In the middle of the university there is a gate for the sculpting department. When you first enter the smell of mud penetrates your nostrils and tickles it, there is dust everywhere and several empty rooms with statues scattered about. The sound of the saw blends with sounds of knocking and chattering of students. It has a different aura than the rest of the School of fine arts. Though it is on the same campus, it has a secluded yet enigmatic feel.

“I was hesitant before choosing sculpting at first,” said Nada Adel, a student in her third year “I was scared because there were very few students. There are about 10 students per year,” Adel explained.

“But then I realized later that having three students that sculpt well is better than having one hundred students that are not qualified,” she added.

“There are, of course, religious reasons behind that,” said Adel “some Sheikhs condemn all art as sinful, others think that there are certain guidelines should be followed in terms of sculpting but don’t forbid it.”

Sculptures shouldn’t be the size of a human being and there are five other guidelines that Adel couldn’t recall.

Adel also added that religion is just one aspect of several other reasons.

“Some people think of it as the department of failing students, since it requires the lowest grades,” Adel said “but the truth is that it’s a matter of demand. We are few.”

Sculpting is also not one of the easiest art forms. It requires patience and special skills.

“One can draw well but not know how to sculpt, but sculptors know how to do both,” said Hebeish.

The religious background

The sinful connotations that sculptures have go back to the time, when infidels worshipped sculptures, and thus they are associated with atheism.

About 10 years ago debates ensued when the Taliban destroyed two Buddha sculptures because is commonly misbelieved that Buddhistsworship the Buddha statue.

Ever since, there has been a constant stigma towards statues in the Muslim conservative society. One can’t generalize, of course, because several galleries around Cairo exhibit sculptures.Yet many believe it is sinful and some would refuse to purchase sculptures to decorate their homes with.

“I would rather stay on the safe side,” they would argue “it is an unnecessary decoration”.

Advocacy lectures to persuade students to specialize in sculpting take place each year.

“We hold several lectures to educate students and change their views about the belief that sculpting is sinful,” Ahmed Abd el Aziz, the dean of the sculpting department said.

He further explained by giving the metaphor of a knife, which could have several uses. “One can use the knife to kill, but one also uses it to slaughter animals to eat.

“Everything has two sides,” he continued “we can’t simply abolish it because it might have a negative effect or side.”

The media hype

In 2008 several newspapers in Egypt published articles regarding the sculpting department. It said that there was only one student in sculpting and they were intending to close it down.

However according to students in sculpting there was never only one student in a class.

“I remember when the news got out we were worried,” Adel said “Are they going to close it down while we’re still enrolled?”

Another student, who specializes in drawing, also encountered such media representation. “I was in class, it was my first year,” she said “so we had to do sculpting. We have to try each specialization before choosing our concentration,” she further explained.

“A journalist came and asked several students if they think it’s sinful, some said yes, when he asked them why they are sculpting, they said that they have to,” she said “then when the magazine came out, I don’t really remember what it was, there was a picture of a bearded guy sculpting and the article was trashing art students and said that were all backward minded.”

Inside the university there are several sculptures in the gardens. Students sit in front of them with their sketchbooks in hand and draw. The sculptures stand peacefully, and blend quite naturally with the atmosphere.

Sculpting as an art form

“Sculpting is not as easy to understand as other works of art,” said Abd el Aziz “you will always find sculpting students fewer than those in other departments”.

Unlike other works of art, sculpting has a certain dominating feel. It has its presence in a place that one can’t overlook.

“It’s another reason why you won’t find many people getting sculptures to decorate their homes as much as they do with paintings,” said Abd el Aziz “if the sculpture doesn’t fit the place it’s in it would be very obvious.”

“It’s the art that is most suited to preserve history,” said Gamal “like the statues of the German women during the war.”