debate over the meaning of freedom in contemporary Egypt.

On the opening night, ArtsTalk director Fatenn Mostafa, speaking to a room filled with contemporary artists and art enthusiasts, launched the exhibition by saying "Art is a weapon of resistance."

Referring to the political turmoil dividing Egypt today, she maintained that art is a force of change and has been since the 1930s. She explains that the purpose of this exhibition is to learn from the art of resistance in Egypt’s history.

Samir Gharib, who has written extensively on the Egyptian Art and Freedom Group and on the history of modern Egyptian art, started his art talk by saying how important it is to shed light on art and freedom in this particular moment in Egypt’s history.

Egyptian Art and Freedom Group wasestablished in December of 1939, with the goal of "preserving the freedom of thought," explains Gharib.

Through the years and even after the revolution of 1952, which was instigated by the spread of "poverty, ignorance and disease", art was a weapon for the development of society.

Gharib explains that what made the surrealist art movement particularly effective as a revolutionary tool in the first half of the 20th century was that its founding principle was liberating the mind.

"Surrealism is all about expressions of one’s dreams and subconscious," explains Gharib. "It is only imagination that can challenge reality and it can eventually change reality."

Samir Gharib emphasised the young ages of the founders of the Egyptian Art and Freedom Group: George Henein was only 25 when he established the movement. He urged