Porcelain on Marmox board, wood and binding
The 7th Future Generation Art prize, PinchukArtCentre, Kyiv.
This piece, part of a long-term body of work, engages with the legacy of Egyptian sculptor and industrialist Fathy Mahmoud, known for his monumental public sculptures and mid-20th-century porcelain factory. Meleegy repurposes shattered porcelain dinnerware fragments of plates, mug handles, and other remnants from Mahmoud’s production reconstructing them into large-scale, mosaic-like compositions. Reprising motifs from his works, she assembles narratives that intertwine her own memories with Mahmoud’s nationalist depictions of Egypt’s mid-century industrialization. Through this process, she interweaves state-sanctioned memory with the minutiae of lived experience.
Drawing on excerpts from Meleegy’s published book A Cup of Tea with Fathy Mahmoud, the work manifests the enduring power of art to shape our understanding of history and identity. She invites viewers to engage directly with her reflections by taking a copy from a large stack of letters arranged on industrial trolleys at the entrance to the space. Written in an intimate and deeply personal tone, these texts form the backbone of the exhibition.
Magic Lamp, Porcelain on Marmox board, wood and binding, installation dimensions
variable. Photo by Ela Bialkowska,OKNO Studio for PinchukArtCentre/FutureGenerationArtPrize 2024
Photo by Ela Bialkowska,OKNO Studio for PinchukArtCentre/FutureGenerationArtPrize 2024
A Cup Of Tea With Fathy Mahmoud, 2024, A4 offset printed paper, edition of 50,000.Photographs provided by the PinchukArtCentre © 2024. Photographed by Oleksandr Piliugin
Photo by Ela Bialkowska,OKNO Studio for PinchukArtCentre/FutureGenerationArtPrize 2024