Born in 1984, Cairo, Egypt. Lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Ali Abdel Mohsen, one of the most stunning visionary artists of the contemporary Egyptian scene, creates, through extremely spontaneous and individualised apocalyptic imagery, an art which is incumbent upon all people. A self-taught artist and journalist, he uses line drawings and acrylic colours mixed with dirt and cigarette ashes on the surfaces of disused cardboard boxes to convey his impressions of decline in contemporary society. Strongly influenced by his surroundings, his work depicts a dystopic world of nihilism and paranoia. Placed in post-apocalyptic scenarios of undefined urban spaces, the scenes portray a society where violence, chaos and corruption have taken over. The individual plays no role: his subjects are faceless victims of the system. In the attempt to explore the grey areas of human nature in a society that is falling apart, the power of visual imagery is brought into play to the greatest extent by utilising consumed materials, which reflect the sense of exhaustion and abandonment of the people. Nonetheless, Abdel Mohsen gives not only an account of contemporary degradation, but portrays a slow war, where alienated figures suggest some latent signs of resilience.
Ali Abdel Mohsen’s artwork, unique in its suggestive titles, such as ‘Slow war’, ‘This a dream come true’, and ‘Razor-sharp teeth’, have been featured in solo and group exhibitions in Egypt, Lebanon, Germany, Denmark, and Dubai. His publications have appeared in important newspapers including Egypt Independent, Mada Masr, Harper’s and Al Arabiya. This talented an unprecedented artist was represented by Cairo’s Mashrabia Gallery of Contemporary at the Art the Beirut Art Fair, 2016 and in the last years has been rising rapidly in the regional scene.