In his collection "Messenger Bird" Ihab Lotfy explores messages of love and melancholy carried by messenger pigeons. Inspired by Nubian and ancient Egyptian visuals, Lotfy's technique consists of layering several paints on top of wooden panels and proceeding to uncover these colours on the surface of his work.

“This is an ode to the Messenger Pigeon that carries our words and feelings to our loved ones.The pigeon is one of the most beautiful and tender birds. They only eat and drink only what is good and pure,  which makes them just as pure. Like many farmland birds, farmers and landowners have relied on them since the beginning of time and lived with them a long loyal life”

“فكرة معرضي هي رسائل يبعثها الحمام. الطير الذي فارق أرضه، بيته، أهله وناسه ومازال يُرسل تلك الرسائل التي تحمل معنى الفراق والشجن والحب. الطير.. وعلى رأسهم الحمام، من الطيور الطاهرة التي تتسم بالرقة والجمال. فهي لا تأكل إلا طيبًا ولا تشرب إلا طيبًا. كما إنها خير مُعين للإنسان، الفلاح وصاحب الأرض. تحيا معهم حياة مُخلصة مثلها مثل أبو قردان.”

“The concept of the exhibition revolves around messages carried by pigeons; that creature that left its land, its home, its family and loved ones to carry messages of parting, melancholy and love. This concept, which was birthed two years ago, was inspired by my youngest daughter Basmala, to whom I credit the name of my exhibition “Messenger Bird”.Basmala feeds the birds in the balcony of my studio everyday. Her mother tells me that she does so without any of us requesting it. This strong bond between Basmala and the birds was created since the passing of her grandfather. She had the idea of writing a letter to her late grandfather to tell him of her longing and love for him; so she placed the letter in the birdfeeder, hoping that either the birds or the wind would carry her message to him.”

“راودتني تلك الفكرة منذ سنتين تقريبًا، وكانت لبسملة ابنتي الصغرى الفضل في صياغة اسم المعرض. تعتاد بسملة إطعام العصافير والحمام في شرفة المرسم يوميًا، دون أن يذكرها أحد كما أخبرتني والدتها. نشأت تلك العلاقة الوطيدة بينها وبينهم منذ وفاة جدها. جاءتها فكرة كتابة رسالة لجدها الراحل الغائب ووضعها مع طعام الحمام والعصافير أملاً في نسمة الهواء أن تحمل الرسالة وتبعثها بمشاعر الحنين له.”

“We believe that they didn’t disappoint, and with the certainty of her loving heart, Basmala knew her message reached her loved one, and so started writing to him regularly. Her ritual impacted me greatly and compelled me to create a collection of messages carried by The Messenger Bird.”

لم تخذلها نسمات الهواء وحملت الرسالة وأيقنت بسملة أن الرسالة وصلت لصاحبها بيقين قلبها المُحب الصغير. وبدأت في كتابة المزيد له.تأثير الفكرة علىّ جعلني اتمسك”            بصياغتها إلى ” رسائل طير الجنوب المُهاجر”  عرفانًا للطير الذي يحمل مشاعرنا المُصاغة في كلمات للأحبة.”