Lot 94: Chant Avedissian (Egyptian, b. 1951)

Chant Avedissian (Egyptian, b. 1951)
Four works: Ahmed Zaki, Suad Hosni, Shadia and Zaki Rustom
Each titled and located in Arabic (lower centre) and signed 'CHANT AVEDISSIAN' (lower centre)
Gouache and gold paint on cardboard
Each: 19 3/8 x 26¾in. (49 x 68cm.); Overall: 38½ x 53½in. (98 x 136cm.)

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"The main themes of his monotypes are the bygone eras of romance and glamour, musicals and melodramas, revolutions and ideal, beloved childhood heroes- stars, divas, and leaders, the famous and anonymous people of the Egyptian socialist propaganda machine, and urban and rural daily scenes. These depict an era, the Egypt of the 1950s, when the country was at the height of its cosmopolitanism and Middle Eastern intellectuals mingled. The era also represents the height of Egyptian popular culture: when Egyptian cinema- 'Hollywood on the Nile'- dominated most of the Arab world. Booming publishing houses made Cairo a meeting place to discuss anti-colonial ideas."
Rose Issa, Chant Avedissian: Cairo Stencils, London, 2006, p.8.

The four actors represented here are:

Shadia (Egyptian, born 1928)
An actress and singer, she is famous for her roles in light comedies and drama in the 1950s and 1960s. She had a strong feminine presence on stage. Her play Rayya an dsakina was played for over three years in Egypt and abroad, and is still widely repeated on all Arab televisions. She appeared in more than 30 movies.

Zaki Rustom ( Egyptian 1903-1972 )
This iconic actor starred in more than 30 films.

Ahmed Zaki ( Egyptian, 1949- 2005)
An actor famed for his talent, especially for his skill in impersonating. He was also famous for his passionate performances onscreen, sometimes genuinely hitting co-stars during filming of violent scenes.

Suad Hosni (1943-2001)
Known as the 'Cinderella of Egyptian cinema', Suad Hosni was one of the most influential actresses of her time. Attaining stardom towards the end of the 1950s, she performed in more than 83 films between 1959 and 1991.