ِAhmed Maher Raief

Maher Raief was born in 1926 Cairo, Egypt. Born to a painter father who encouraged his career, Maher Raeif graduated from The Cairo School of Fine Arts in 1950. He was an active member of the Contemporary Art Group from 1946 till 1952. During the 1960s, he obtained his PhD in philosophy of art from University of Cologne in Germany. During 1976 – 1986, Raeif helmed the dean of The Faculty of Fine Arts in Alexandria. 

Raeif vigorously experimented with materials & production methods. His career could be compartmentalised into a handful of milestones. During his participation with the contemporary art group, Maher refuged in expressionist depiction, of dynamic lines, gigantic forms and muted colour schemes, that aimed to perpetuate an authentic national identity of Egypt. During his stay at Dusseldorf, Raeif extended his expressionist practice into experimenting with various printmaking techniques. Following his attainment of his PhD and return to Egypt in the 1970s, the modern artist became influenced by Sufism and shifted into the non-representational territory & modelling of calligraphic forms. 

Raeif’s participation in the Venice Biennale of 1952 brought him under robust international recognition. His stay at Germany promulgated a series of handful solo & collective exhibitions as well, namely a solo at Dusseldorf’s Kustakademie in 1963. He also took part in the fifth & the sixth Alexandria Biennales (1963-64 / 65-66).