Born in 1919 in Benisoueif, Hamed Owais graduated from the Institute of Fine Arts in Cairo to become one of the leading pioneer Egyptian artists.

Owais helped create the "Group of Modern Art" in 1947, a group that rejected surrealism "because it was essentially rebellion, or an art which did not aim at the consciousness of the people at large", in his own words.

Owais, a strong believer that revolutionary ideology should be reflected in art, devoted himself to Cairo ambiance of 1946 as revolutionary ideas were being shaped. Eventually, his work became the expression of his own devotion to the Revolution.

Besides his inspiration and influence by Picasso, Matisse and the Fauves, Owais was also influenced by Alexandria w...