Inji Afflatoun

Inji Eflatoun, 1924, Inji Efflatoun
Oil on canvas

Inji Aflatoun was known as an artist and a rebel. Aflatoun was born in 1924 and was weaved her path in life through very well established rules. Her art pieces were more of the displeasure of society. She comes from a family class called bourgeoisie which is middle class. Growing up she didn't have a problem with goods and food because she was sheltered and fed. She was also detached from the Egyptian society. That's when the whole thing started; her art themes are mostly confinement and rebellion. She had a mentor named Kamel El-Telmasany which was also an Egyptian artist. Comes to know Mr. Telmasany wasn't excited to teach Aflatoun because she was a female and in the middle class. Other reasons why he wasn't eager to teach her was because she saw art as a package of learning how to knit, cook and/or playing the piano. But, like always she surprised him with the beauty and power of her paintings that yell out LOOK AT ME! She used beautiful colors that really compliment the piece and most importantly her.

Later on in her life, she was imprisoned for four years during the era of President Gamal Abdel Nasser for her collaboration with the communist movement. However, she mentioned that she attended a catholic school in the fourth grade and thought that was torture and jail. The school had very ardent rules that she just didn't care to follow and people thought she was too religious for her young age. In Egypt owning or reading a book in private was forbidden; it was like you murdered someone. Also, other things that were forbidden that she didn't care about was making friends with girls, talking to one another during your lunch and something as simple as looking at yourself in the mirror. She wondered about the sister nun who attended the same school because she was in a low class. She wondered how unjust could be seen in a place of dedication. Aflatoun was expelled by the school for not following the rules and regulations. She did not stop there, she started her long history of rebellion.

I know exactly how she feels because I am Egyptian and know how the rules are over there. They don't want women to have a say in anything at all which I find very crazy!

Inji Efflatoun (Egypt, 1924-1984)In the Woman’s Prison, c. 1960From her period in prison

The main reason for her art was to show the countryside and the life as a female in that part of the world. 

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/5/25/21577/Arts--Culture/Visual-Art/The-life-of-Inji-Aflatoun,-an-artist-and-a-rebel-.aspx