Lot 19 – Hend Adnan, Untitled

LOT 19HEND ADNAN (EGYPTIAN B.1970)UNTITLED
signed and dated 2008 / Hind Adnan in English and Arabic lower left
oil on canvas
39.5 x 29cm; 15 1/2 x 11 3/8in
60 x 49.8cm; 23 5/8 x 19 5/8in (framed)

Provenance
Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner

Property of a Lady, London

Estimate
£2,000 – £3,000
Buyer’s premium: 25.00% + VAT

Wife of Ibrahim El Dessouki (see lot 18), Hend Adnan earned her BA in Visual Art from the Painting Department at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Cairo in 1992.

Adnan values creative freedom in working with oil paints and live models, with particular attention to the nuanced portrayal of shadows. She aims to convey psychological states and emotions through realistic renderings, utilising the full range and texture of oil colours.

Adnan’s oeuvre is characterised by fluid colours and silvery light-infused shadows that possess greater depth than the hues themselves. Her technique incorporates oil paints applied in thick, textured layers or lighter washes, with broad, balanced brushstrokes to create effects ranging from transparent to opaque, allowing for diverse textural outcomes. During the preparatory stage, she employs graphite, charcoal, or pastels on coloured paper to produce multiple sketches, ensuring accurate form and composition for each painting.

As evidenced in the current work, the model remains central to each artwork, serving as both inspiration and foundation. Each piece interprets an emotion or mood concealed within the subject’s features. Here as in her other paintings, the distinctly black hair of Egyptians serves as a fundamental colour, transforming into shades of red and ochre, reminiscent of how Nile waters reflect the sunlight.

Her work has been featured in numerous national and international exhibitions, festivals, and meetings, and is included in both Egyptian and global collections.