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BRITT BOUTROS - GHALI

Known for her vibrant, colorful and energetic paintings, Britt is as enigmatic as she is revered and is considered one of the important Norwegian artists of this century. Steeped in the early influences of abstract expressionism, she studied painting and sculpture under Ellen Christensen and Ferdinand Lunde in Oslo in the late 1950’s. Her earliest work debuted in Paris at Galerie de L’ UniversitĚ in 1965 at the same time that Niki de Saint Phalle joined her onto the Paris art scene. Britt participated in the Abstract Expressionist movement in Europe in the 1960’s and 1970’s, and is still driven by these early influences.

Britt has exhibited internationally throughout her career. Her work is widely collected in both public and private collections worldwide. In 1996 Britt was awarded the Saint Olav’s Order, the highest Norwegian honor given to an artist, by King Haakon of Norway, for promoting Norway through her art abroad. Edvard Munch is the only other artist to have received this honor during his lifetime.

Britt was born in 1937 in Svolvaer, located in the northern most part of Norway where the saturation of light in the summer clashes with the total lack thereof all winter. Her early years were overcome by the harsh weather and daunting pressure of the Second World War. This powerful backdrop provided a fertile landscape for her bursting, colorful and emotional work.

In great contrast to her beginnings, Britt has spent the last 35 years in Egypt. Her studio is a barge on the Nile, which serves as a place of abundance not only for local artists and eccentrics to meet, but also for people who travel from afar to see and collect her work. The many years spent in Egypt’s rich, colorful and exotic culture and environment has greatly influenced her work.

Selected Solo Exhibitions:

2011 Traffic Art Space, New York City

Anjou, Tjan, The Haag, Holland

2010 Gallerie Nova Sin, Prague

Anjou, Tjan, The Haag, Holland

Palazzo Comunale di Montecosaro, Italy

2009 Women of My World, Galerie Picasso, Cairo, Egypt

2008 MusĚe D'Art Contemporain, Marrakesh, Morocco

2007 Galerie Venise Cadre, Casablanca, Morocco

Slovak National Museum, Bratislava, Slovakia

Galerie Picasso, Cairo, Egypt

2006

Kjeldaas Galerie, Oslo, Norway

2005 Galeri Nord Norge, Harstad, Norway

Galeri Walaker, Sogn, Norway

2004

Galerie Picasso, Cairo, Egypt

Kranes Galeri, Tromso, Norway

2003 Kjeldaas Galerie, Oslo, Norway

2002

Galerie Nord Norge, Harstad, Norway

Galerie La Bodega, Cairo, Egypt

2001 Galerie Picasso, Cairo, Egypt

1999 Palais de l'Unesco, Beirut, Lebanon

1998

1996

Galerie Hassan Ragab, Cairo, Egypt

Galerie Saltstraumen, Bodo, Norway

1995 Kunst og Industrie Museum, Trondheim, Norway

Galerie Pierre Cardin, Espace Vega, Paris, France

1994 Galerie Extra, Cairo, Egypt

1992 Galerie Saltstraumen, Bodo, Norway

1991 Galerie Mervet, Cairo, Egypt

1990 Galerie Mervet, Cairo, Egypt

Galerie Vesteralen, Sortland, Norway

1989 Galerie Four Seasons, Cairo, Egypt

1985 Italian Cultural Center Cairo, Egypt

1980

Italian Cultural Center, Cairo, Egypt

1974 Galerie Fiskerness Bank, Tromso, Norway

Galerie d'Arc, Geneva, Switzerland

1973 Galerie Schloss Ramseck Stuttgart Germany

1972 Galerie de l'UniversitĚ , Paris, France

1971 Det Blå Galerie, Oslo, Norway

1969 En Los Salones del Athenee, Majorca, Spain

Hotel Jame I, Barcelona, Spain

Refugi d'Art, Barcelona, Spain

1966 Galerie Fiskerness Bank, Tromso, Norway

1965 Galerie de l'UniversitĚ , Paris, France

Selected Group Exhibitions:

2011 From Egypt with Love, Athr Gallery, Jeddah

2010 Harmony: East and West, Caravan, Cairo, Egypt

2000 Galerie Picasso, Cairo, Egypt

1995 Palais des Festivals, Cannes, France

1989 Four Seasons Galerie Cairo, Egypt

1967 Dimarco Gallerie, Edinburgh, UK

Private and Public Collections:

Coca Cola Collection

Graf Knyphausen, Private Collection

Mercedes Benz Collection Museum of Modern Art, Aman Museum of Modern Art, Cairo, Egypt

Norsk Hydro Collection

Church of Norway, Alta, Norway

Catholic Church of Bavaria, Germany

Kunst og Industrie Museum, Trondheim, Norway

Galerie Nord Norge Private Collection Permanen t Britt BG Installation.

Saltstrømmen Art Center- Permanent Display

Klemm Collection, Stuttgart, Germany

Hassan el Sawaf Collection, Cairo, Egypt

Solveig Isaksen Collection, Norway

Galeri Nord Norge, Harstad, Permanent Display

Galeri Kvale Hammerfest, Permanent Display

Kranes Galeri, Tromso, Permanent Display

Galeri Vesterålen, Sortland, Norway Permanent Display

Paletten, Harstad, Norway Permanent Display

Michelle and Asher Edelman Collection

Honors:

St. Olavs Order, 1996

Presented by King Harald of Norway. St. Olavs Order is the highest honor received by an artist for promoting Norway through art abroad. Edvard Munch is the only other artist to have received this award.