The Syrian-born Chalabi, who now lives in Cairo, will speak with students in the Gallery prior to the exhibition opening on Tuesday, from 11:30-1 p.m. The artist will also attend the public opening reception on Thursday, October 5, from 5-7 p.m. at the GVSU Art Gallery, located in the Performing Arts Center on the Allendale Campus. She will speak to the public about her work at 6 p.m. Her talks will focus on what it is like to be a Muslim woman artist in Cairo today.
The public event is sponsored by a gift from URS Corporation and made possible, in part, by a grant from Michigan Humanities Council, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Chalabi's watercolor works in this exhibition depict life in Cairo today, as she experiences it. There are views of downtown Cairo, in the tight cramped quarters of the old town, interiors of shops and coffee houses, views of important and well known mosques and palaces, ancient Christian churches, boats anchored along the Nile, as well as village life in other parts of the country.
"I also asked her to include views of ancient Egyptian ruins of temples," said Henry Matthews, director of galleries and collections. "She painted several views both of the exterior and the interior spaces of the ancient St. Catherine Monastery located in the shadow of Mt. Sinai."
The tradition of painting these kinds of views, specifically in Egypt, is perhaps best known through the work of Scottish artist David Roberts (1796-1864). The artist painted and sketched in Egypt in the early 19th century. To complement the Chalabi exhibition, a Roberts print exhibit will be shown concurrently in the Lake Ontario Hall, Red Wall Gallery. "19th Century Views of Egypt by David Roberts, on loan from Erwin Raible, New York" includes a selection of 34 hand-colored prints by Roberts depicting scenes encountered on his travels through Egypt. A reception for this exhibit is planned for Thursday, October 5, from 5-7 p.m., in the Red Wall Gallery, Lake Ontario Hall.
Caroline Williams, visiting scholar from the College of William and Mary, will speak on Roberts' work and his famous views of Egyptian monuments. Her talk on Monday, October 9, is from 4:30-5:45 p.m., in the Grand River Room, Kirkhof Center, Allendale Campus.
All exhibits, lectures and receptions are free and open to the public. Both exhibitions continue through November 3. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Thursdays until 7 p.m. For more information call (616) 331-2564.
