Egyptian artist creates miniature sculptures of influential figures
Whether from Europe, Africa, Asia or anywhere in the world, Francois Fady diversifies his art to include individuals who promote peace, artists, scientists and individuals who have made a difference. From Mother Theresa and Albert Einstein to Maradona, Ramses II and Steve Jobs, among many others, his pieces stand out for their exceptional precision despite being created in the form of caricatures.
Born to an award-winning 30-year-old artist and antiquities expert, Francis experimented with different art forms for years, until he found a way to sculpt the likenesses of influential people in clay. polymer.
To carve a character, which can measure from 7 to 18 cm long, the process can take between 15 and 20 hours of work. Francis uses simple sculpting tools, a magnifying glass and thermal clay. The clay is heated in a kiln to be molded into a plastic-like material, which is then delicately painted to render the desired celebrity sculpture.
Inspired by ancient Egyptian sculpture, Francis, originally from Luxor, believes in the importance of visual arts culture. Based on his belief that art is therapeutic, Francis explains that “a person can put their energy into art”. As a journalist himself, he devoted an entire page to art in Al-Masry Al-Youm where he works, and named it “Art Therapy”.
He is enthusiastic about the benefits of art, one of which is its ability to alleviate feelings of loneliness. “Art resonates psychologically with people and makes a difference in their lives,” he adds confidently.
In 2019, he launched an ongoing attempt to break a world record for creating 100 miniature sculptures of 100 influential figures, with the hope of exhibiting them in the near future. Subsequently, 2020, known as the “COVID-19 year”, was an important year for him as he created nearly 65 figures, while deepening his knowledge of sculpture.
Today, he is finally preparing the exhibition he has always dreamed of, the date of which has yet to be determined. The last figures he made were by Pablo Picasso and Andrea Bocelli, among others.
“The exhibition aims to show that art unites humanity, despite different languages and cultures,” he says.
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