The first joint exhibition: Hazem El Mestikawy and Jos van der Beek Extended Space

Hazem El Mestikawy (*1965)

was recently short-listed for the Jameel Prize at the Victoria and Albert Museum and received the Grand Prize of the 13th Asia Art Biennial in Dhaka. He exhibited his art in Doha, Japan, Havana, Vienna, Cairo and Alexandria. El Mestikawy is currently living in Cairo, Egypt, and Vienna, Austria. Hazem El Mestikawy’s trademark is a natural color palette, paper made objects and cardboard. Some are left in their natural color while others are painted in strong colours such as the bright yellow. While speaking of lavishness, waste and recycling his artistic language is quiet and structured, thus allowing the form to become the dominant expression, what we can see in a large-scale installation 'Alif Beh'. The installation consisting of the sixty pieces, mounted on the wall and floor creating sculptured fields that interact with each other by their negative-positive space.

Hazem El Mestikawy / Alif-Beh, 2006-2009, cardboard and paper, 60-parts, Installation, 200x30x22 cm / Courtesy of AB Gallery

Hazem El Mestikawy / 11.02.2011, white Cairo 2012, cardboard and paper, 40x40x10.5 cm / Courtesy of AB Gallery

Hazem El Mestikawy / Chamber 1, 2012, cardboard and paper, 39x32x20 cm / Courtesy of AB Gallery

Hazem El Mestikawy / Chamber 2, 2012, cardboard and paper, 60x30x22 cm / Courtesy of AB Gallery

Hazem El Mestikawy / Alhoriya Panel 2, Vienna 2012, cardboard and paper, 103x48x5 cm / Courtesy of AB Gallery

Jos van der Beek (*1954)

lives and works in Den Haag and France. His latest exhibitions took place in Wiesbaden, Toulouse, Brussels, Zurich and Berlin. In contrast to Hazem El Mestikawy’s sculptural pieces Jos van der Beek’s paintings are made in white and grey colors, modulated with soft and light shades. His completely abstract approach is based on the nuances of colors, interrupted by the intense colorful brush strokes; deep green, orange or yellow are appearing all of a sudden and unexpected, creating a dynamic yet dreamy and quiet composition, filled with imagination.

Jos van der Beek / Untitled, 2012, acrylic on canvas, 60x60 cm / Courtesy of AB Gallery

Jos van der Beek / Untitled, 2012, acrylic on canvas, 60x60 cm / Courtesy of AB Gallery

The exhibition 'Extended Space' will run from August 29 to October 9, 2012.