Installation
India ink and acrylic paint on canvas, various sizes.
2014.
This installation represents what could be perceived as a huge non-linear storyboard or graphic novel. The “narrative” is the result of a random arrangement of small instances, taken out of their context, that are inspired by life events at times, and at other times are completely fictional. The scenes portrayed on the canvases introduce a commentary on society, politics, and religious taboos in a light-hearted and sarcastic way.
©Bassem Yousri, 2014, all rights reserved.
Installation shots:
(Scroll down for photos of individual pieces with text translation)
Photos courtesy of Ruud Gilens ©2014.
Individual Pieces:
Photos courtesy of Adham Bakry ©2014.
“I’ve always found it quite astonishing that white light is formed of red, green and blue lights!”
– Person 1: “I have a zit on my ass and it’s killing me!” – Person 2: “You should put some ointment on it!”
– Woman: “Tell me, doctor, is it a boy or a girl?” – Doctor (to himself): “Dear God!”
“Why?!”
“You are such an amazing artist!”
“Because shit is not just a piece of crap that comes out of one’s ass! Shit is a way of life!!!”
– Woman: “Sometimes, I want to see you wearing certain outfits.” – Man: “Are you trying to say you don’t like the way I look?!”
“What the fuck?!!!”
“I will destroy you!”
“What made you go there?!!”
– Woman: “Why do you hate me so much?!” – Man: “I don’t hate you! I want you to be happy!”
– Man: “Why are you saying that, sweetheart? – Woman: “Sweetheart my ass!!!”
Who Am I…
“By the way, everything you said has no meaning!”
“What is this??!”
“What are you looking at, you animal?!”
“I told you from the beginning we should have gone the opposite direction, idiot!”
– Woman 1: “Essentially, we have to admit to ourselves that we have failed!” – Woman 2: “Of course not!”
– Waitress: “What would you like to drink, sir? We have lemon, mango, melon and orange juices.” – Man: “That’s really great!”
“Get away from me, you animal!!!”
“But I have a feeling you didn’t get what I mean!”
– Man (right): “What the fuck do you want, motherfucker?!” – Man (left): “Please don’t use such vulgar language! It’s inappropriate!”
“Not like that! You have to turn it around, and then insert it. Otherwise, it won’t get in!”
– Woman (left): “I suggest you forget about the whole thing.” – Woman (right): “But I really want to find true love!”
“Mom, fetch me the Tramadol!!”
– Woman (right): “We were walking side by side and then he tried to touch the hem of my sleeve with the tips of his fingers!” – Woman (left): “And then what happened?!”
“Yes, this is how it’s going to be whether you like it or not!”
– Man: “Do you know that if you mix vinegar with chlorine the result would be something similar to tear-gas?” – Woman: “Why would you mix them in the first place?”
“My God! You’ve grown and become so beautiful, Sawsan!!”
“Well, I talked to him about it again, but he still didn’t accept!”
“Oh my God! What is this strange thing?!”
– Person (left): “Don’t step on my foot!” – Person (right): “You’re the one stepping on my foot!”
“Oh, Egypt! You are the greatest country in the world! Oh, Egypt! You are the most beautiful country in the world!
– Man 1: “Sing us a song with your beautiful voice, Isaad! We miss your singing and your sensitive spirit!” – Man 2: “Come on, Isaad!” – Man 3: “Oh, Isaad!” – Isaad: “Please guys, don’t pressure me like this!”
– Father: “Shut up!!! I’ve had it with you!!!” – Little kid: “Alright, Daddy.” – Mother: “You animal!”
– Woman (right): “Shall we do it now, or do you want me to come back in two hours or something?” – Woman (left): “Whatever works for you!”
“She might seem angry and aggressive with him all the time, but as a matter of fact, the way he treats her and his behavior are what lead her to this!”
“I went to the kitchen to bring the bottle. By the time I came back, she had already taken her purse off the couch, and left slamming the door behind her!”
– Man (right): “Sometimes, I would sit down and focus really hard, but I still wouldn’t find any new ideas! I don’t know what to do!” – Man (left): “Alright sir, but why are you telling me specifically?!”
“True, my left arm was cut off, but thank God I have my right arm and I can still use it for work!
“The revolution will prevail, and you will see!”
“My stomach is killing me!!”
“My stomach is killing me!!”
“My stomach is killing me!!”
Fly 1: “Oh my God! All this crap?!” Fly 2: “Let’s eat it!”
“Where is this smell of shit coming from?!”
“Some might think that repetition is always boring, while sometimes it could be extremely beautiful!”
“I wonder what would happen if I put my finger inside this thing?!”
“Is this alright, Doctor, or do you want me to take my shirt off as well?”
“Please don’t leave now! Stay with me for another five minutes! Just five more minutes!!”
“Oh please no! Not that thing! It scares the hell out of me!”
“I generally like all colors but I can say that red is my favorite!”
“You’re such an asshole!!”
– Penguin (left): “Wanna bet I’ll fly?!” – Penguin (right): “Don’t do it you fool!!!”
“Fuck!!! I lost my passport!”
– Man (right): “How did you like Paris?” – Man (left): “Well, I really enjoyed it, but the conference was really crappy and the organization was horrible!”
“Nothing!”
“What do you mean it doesn’t concern you?!”
“You think she really left me because I don’t have a chin, or maybe there is another reason?”
– Man: “Nature is in danger!” – Woman: “We should all care about it and protect it!”
– Man (right): “It is quite strange that he decided, at the end, to put the shelf this high up!” – Man (left): “What’s even stranger is that he decided to put the bottle with unknown contents on it!”
“Exactly as I’m telling you: stir one and a half spoons of sugar in a cup of cold water!”
“Oh, mighty God!!”
“Meow!”
“What’s your name?!”
“Promise me you’ll love me forever!!”
“I swear I won’t do it again, but please let me down!”
– Man (right): “I’m really broke and I don’t have a penny on me! Could you please lend me 5 pounds?” – Man (left): “I am so sorry, Mohamad, but I am quite broke myself!
“Kiss me, Mohamed!”
“Some people might find the shape at the edge of this canvas disturbing. But, I personally think it is not disturbing at all since it is totally unidentifiable, and could be a part of any other object!”
“Impossible!”
– Man: “Just turn around and get inside and I will follow you right away!” – Woman: “Alright, but don’t be late!”
“I really regret everything I have done, but what I regret more is everything I haven’t done!”
“No, no, no!!! I quit talking politics a long time ago!! Let’s talk about something else!”
“I swear to God I don’t know anything!”
Potato!
“No! Of course, I don’t agree with anything you’re saying!”
“I am really happy!!!”
“It’s ok! I am not upset anymore!”
“And, of course, it is quite clear that this drawing is executed on a hexagonal canvas and not on a square or rectangular canvas as usual!”
– Man 1: “What do you want me to do for you?! You’re so stupid!” – Man 2: “Please!”
– Running man: “I hope I can make it this time!” – Little guy: “Unfortunately, he’s not going to make it!”
“I told you a hundred times before he is only drawing me. Why do you have to make a big fuss about it every single time?!”
“What are you doing over there, Hassan?!!”
– Husband: “Do you remember Hanan’s engagement party?” – Wife: “Yes!”
– Kid: “Dad, what does God do for a living?” – Man: “Shut up, you son of a bitch!”
– Kid: “Dad, what color is God?!” – Man: “Shut up, you son of a bitch!”
“Fuck me!!!”
“Go get me the stick, you animal, so that I can beat you with it!!”
“Are we going to keep going around in circles?! Let’s get it over with!”
– Man (to the woman next to him): “How do you like the weather?” – Veiled woman: “It’s so damn hot!”
– Woman: “I think you are a very polite man, and maybe this has something to do with where you come from!” – Man: “Seriously, fuck you!”
“Only for you, ma’am, everything is for free!”
– Fly (right): “I don’t like black tea, I think I will go find mango juice.” – Fly (left): “Why don’t you like it? It’s delicious!!”
“I feel really bored! It’s as if I am always looking for something… and I don’t even know what I’m looking for!”
“Yes, perfect. This is exactly what I want!!” (the text in the frame on the wall says “Praise God!”)
“Enough!!!!”
– Elephant 1: “I want to travel far away and start a new life somewhere where no one knows me. I am fed up with this life!” – Elephant 2: “I feel you!”
“So, is the power back now, or is it still out?!”
– Man: “Maybe if you read Edward Said’s Orientalism, you’d realize that what I am saying is right. Have you ever read Jacque Ranciere’s theory about the exchange of knowledge?” – Woman: “Excuse me, I think I can hear someone calling me over there.”
“I think the ideas behind the pieces are really good, but the drawing style is really shitty!!”
– Woman (back): “I don’t want to see your face around here again!” – Woman (front): “Ok! I am leaving now but remember that I warned you! I am not responsible for what will happen next!”
“Excuse me! I don’t like anybody to joke with me in such a manner!”
– Big guy: “I’m really exhausted! I don’t think I can make it!” – Little guy: “Don’t you dare lose hope now! You’re almost done and you have to finish what you already started!!
“What?! I should go on a diet?!
“But I didn’t mean at all what you understood!”
– Woman: “I told you a million times I don’t like that!!” – Man: “I swear to God I didn’t mean it!”
“I swear to God I didn’t mean that! I am just trying to pass through!”
“Although everything else is quite fine and well in its place, I cannot understand why my nose is so crooked!”
– Cow (right): “I have a bad feeling about this! Why are they keeping us here and bringing us food every single day?!” – Cow (left): “You should thank God and just eat; others can’t find half of this deal!”
“And as you can see, ladies and gentlemen, at the top right corner there are two small dots.”
“Of course I’m against the Muslim Brotherhood’s constitution!!”
– Cock (left): “I’m warning you politely this time, but if I see you around her again I will knock your head!” – Cock (right): “I swear to God the whole thing is a misunderstanding!”
– Man 1 (holding a gun): “I am really sorry for putting you in this situation, Shukri. But, I didn’t want to be alone in a moment like this. Also, someone has to be there to clean up the mess and bury the body. Farewell Shukri!!!” – Man 2: “Don’t do it Saied!!!!”
“The question that needs to be asked here is: is the shape of this drawing circular or square?”
(translation of the Arabic subtitles) – Man (right): “Get away from here you bastard, or I will teach you a lesson you will never forget!” – Man (left): “You won’t be able to do anything!
– Man (left): “The shrink told me I have a chronic depression” – Man (right): “And what are you going to do?!”
“What are you saying?! Cancer?!”
“Please excuse me, I can’t hear very well.”
“I wanted to say something important, but I cannot remember what it was!”
“Yes, Sheikh Hassaballah! I am waiting inside the embassy. What should I do with the explosives? Should I detonate them?”
“I know you don’t understand how my head got this huge all of a sudden, but I’m afraid I don’t have time to explain right now!”
“By the way, I was a real bad ass back in the day!”
Bassem Yousri 