Nadia Bogari: a woman’s vision in display

CAIRO – 1 September 2017: “We do not need poets like Nezar Qabbani or others to talk about our bodies, needs, feelings or anything else in the female life, we can do that ourselves,” states painter/artist Nadia Bogari confidently in an exclusive interview with Egypt Today about her art.

The Saudi artist has studied in the faculty of fine arts in Cairo and graduated 1980 where she later pursued her painting career.

“I have held art exhibitions in Jeddah and Tunisia, while my atelier has been in Cairo for a long time. I just moved it to Jeddah recently.” She said.

Painter, colorist, cancer survivor, visionary, feminist; any of these words describe Nadia Bogari. In a recent visit to Cairo she gave us an insight on her techniques, art work and her struggle as an artist.


Nadia Bogari’s painting (Photo Courtesy of Nadia Bogari)


Dealing with her personal history is not an obstacle for her. She was able to produce a few art pieces while she was receiving medical treatment in Austin, Texas.

The ambitious Saudi painter has also had her share in social struggles in her home country Saudi Arabia where arts are restricted. Bogari explained that this is changing however for some time and as a result a female artist Safeya ben Zefer was honored as she received King’s Abdel Aziz’s medal of recognition in 2015 and was considered a source of pride for all women in Saudi Arabia

“Zefer’s recognition has had a special artistic movement in Saudi Arabia that is flourishing,” Bogari mentioned.

Bogari’s exhibition in Tunisia was entitled “See, Hear, Speak”, inspired by the famous proverb “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”. The ‘no’ she keeps for herself, she considers that word a friend of hers, clear, with no ambiguity about it, no misinterpretation. It is the refusal of anything a person does not agree with.

In that exhibition she used the splash or blot technique in her paintings. The paintings took lives of their own and the ideas are left for interpretation of the viewers.

“Now I am in my colorist phase, due to problems in my right arm I am now coloring rather than painting and proud specially that this set back did not stop me from practicing what I love to do” she added.

The exhibition in Jeddah titled “Crumbled Rib” was a hit. The title itself is shocking; it depicts the creation of Eve from Adam’s rib.

In about forty pieces, the story of women and their suffering throughout their lives since birth were described in Bogari’s work. She used letters and colors together to communicate with her viewers.

“The important thing for me was the regular viewer, those who think that they are not equipped to understand contemporary art, they couldn’t be more wrong, the most constructive criticism and understanding came from those viewers,” she said.

Bogari learned in traditional schools but was not influenced by them. She is still learning, exploring and discovering her potential in various venues

Saudi artist Nadia Bogari (Photo Courtesy of Nadia Bogari)