Alexandria-based painter Nivin Elrefaey brings an architectural underpinning to many of her compositions. In some, this architecture is literal, as she invokes references to the neat lines and contours to a structure, such as a tower or bridge. In others, though, this architecture is more metaphorical, as she pairs colors and patterns with such precision that it would seem to be the work of a careful act of engineering.
Born and raised in Alexandria, Elrefaey is a professor in her hometown's Faculty of Fine Arts - Painting Department since 2018. She has been consistently active in the local and international visual arts movement since the mid-nineties and participated in several group exhibitions, Biennales, workshops, conferences, and arbitration committees. She has held eleven solo shows, notable showcases include a solo exhibition in Rome, Italy in 2012, and her most recent show at the Exhibition Hall of the Faculty of Fine Arts in Alexandria, Egypt. She has conducted many critical studies and has several articles published in various cultural publications. Her collection is among permanent collections of many public and private institutions as well as avid art collectors inside and outside of Egypt. El Refaey has also won many awards and certificates of appreciation.
