CAIRO (Public Radio of Armenia) — Works by the late Egyptian Armenian cartoonist Alexander Saroukhan have gone on display in Cairo. The exhibition, titled “Echoes of Past Visions,” will run through February 19, Egypt Today reported.
This is the second edition in a series of exhibitions on Saroukhan’s legacy. The previous was called “Political Comedy,” which showcased dozens of examples of the artist’s work done between 1930 and 1970.
“Echoes of Past Visions” will collect 35 original drawings of the artist that primarily relate to Egypt’s internal and foreign policies, along with comments on world events from nearly 50 years ago that are still relevant today, such as the Jerusalem conflict.
Born on October 1, 1898 in an Armenian town in the Russian Empire, Saroukhan is considered to be one of Egypt’s first cartoonists, helping to pioneer the art form as a type of important political commentary within the region. He moved with his family to Turkey’s capital of Istanbul in 1909, Saroukhan created a small newspaper with his brother — his first foray into his future career.
Upon going to study at the College of the Mekhitarists with his brother, the Armenian Genocide in 1915 forced them to stay after graduating. After his parents died, the only thing left was his art. Saroukhan focused on drawing until the end of the war, where he worked as a translator for the British Army until 1921.
