Akhmim Roofs

Painted in 1971, Akhmim Roofs is a representative work within Inji Efflatoun's post-incarceration period spanning from 1963 to 1973. During this time, her oeuvre is characterised by dynamic rhythm between shapes and earthy colours. Rendered in her distinctive style, she deliberately leaves blank spaces around various elements on the canvas, infusing an ethereal sense of lightness and movement that animates her composition, almost as though the artwork itself were a living entity, gently swaying in the breeze. The roofs, trees and people of the Egyptian city of Akhmim, a recurring subject in the artist’s works, are depicted in this peaceful composition.

A pioneering figure of Egyptian Modernism, Efflatoun, was a painter, feminist, and dedicated political activist. Born in 1924, she connected to the working class, channeling the narratives and hardships into her art and activism. In 1942, she joined the Communist Youth Party, eventually founding the League of University and Institutes' Young Women three years later. Her involvement with the Party became the catalyst for her nearly four-year-long imprisonment in 1959 during Gamal Abdel Nasser's presidency. Upon her release in 1963, her works transitioned from stark social realism to vibrant depictions of everyday life and the beauty of nature, which mirrored her newfound personal and creative freedom. Efflatoun’s works have been exhibited internationally, including the 2024 Venice Biennale and are part of important collections such as the Barjeel Art Foundation in Sharjah.