EgyptThe Eternal Spirit of Its People

by Jack JonathanA Retrospective Exhibition

June 29 – August 4, 2017

Willis Smith GalleryRingling College of Art and Design

With the support of Carlo Marchetti and Flora Majors

PHOTOGRAPHY, A LIFELONG FASCINATION

For most of my adult life, photography has been my passion and my avocation. Although I have never earned

a living from this skill, it has opened many doors.

From 1943 to 1952, my job as Chief of Printing and Publications for the American Embassy in Cairo gave me

the opportunity to create an efficient printing and publishing organization. We had two photographers on our

staff, one of whom was Artine DerBalian.

One evening, I asked him if he was interested in selling his Voiglander camera. On condition that we do it

after hours, Artine began demonstrating the fine points of creating good finished prints. He was an excellent

teacher and I was an avid student. Within two months, I was ready to experiment on my own.

Although the Voiglander gave me an entree into the magical art of developing and printing negatives, it was

the purchase of my dream camera, a Rolleiflex, which freed my imagination because the faster lens allowed me

to take candid shots and to shoot in low light. I practiced often and eagerly awaited the evening hours to see

what would unfold in the darkroom. The camera became my eyes and my constant companion

My understanding of the art of photography took a leap forward around 1947, when the famous Life Magazine

photographer David Douglas Duncan stopped by the embassy in Cairo on his way home from the war in Korea.

His visits meant a great deal to me because we exchanged ideas about what it takes to create a good image.

David had an amazing ability to frame his shots and anticipate the exact moment to snap the shutter, capturing

an image that vibrated with life and an immediacy that most other excellent photographers missed.

Because of my position as chief of publications at the embassy, I had some wonderful photographic

opportunities when Ambassador Caffrey took me on his visits to the antiquities area west of Cairo. He would

challenge the guides by climbing the pyramids while I scouted out interesting shots.

Later, in 1950, a feminist magazine, La Femme Nouvelle, commissioned me to illustrate a feature story about

the mosques in Cairo. The journalist I accompanied around Old Cairo was Gaston Wiet, an historian, who was a

fount of knowledge about the beautiful old structures. Our article appeared in the magazine’s December 1951

edition, Art Arabe.

1

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Four careers spanning seventy-eight years have taught me that I can only succeed if I have a team

of dedicated people supporting me. My wife Rena and my sister Miriam were the first to help me bring

these images to the public. Miriam was my assistant in the Printing and Publishing Department at the

U.S. Embassy in Cairo; and it was Rena’s connection with the Fulbright Commission in Egypt that was

instrumental in securing venues in Cairo and Alexandria for my first exhibition, Scenes of Egypt, in 1952.

Now, I am indebted to her brother, Carlo Marchetti, and his friend, Flora Majors, for their belief that

these photographs should be shared with a wider audience. Fortunately, Mark Ormond, Chief Curator and

Interim Director of the galleries at the Ringling College of Art and Design, agreed with them and offered

me an exhibition space in the Willis Smith Gallery, June 2017.

Three associates who have worked with me for 15 years were the core of this exhibition’s team.

Frank Addington took on the responsibility of choosing 62 photographs from the 90 images I had

prepared for a larger exhibition in Egypt in January 2016 at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Frank designed

the arrangement of each wall to reflect a story in keeping with the purpose of the exhibition: “to deepen

our understanding of the eternal spirit of the Egyptian people.” He also designed the catalogue and the

website poster.

Ink jet artist and lithographer Steve Barr worked with me to create new prints for this exhibition that fit

the space available.

My co-writer, Sheelagh Hope, who wrote the text for my book Egypt: the Eternal Spirit of Its People,

Stories of an Exhibition, has written the text for the stories of this exhibition as well. For the Ringling

College website she gathered material about my life and the history of Egypt that she felt might deepen

the viewer’s appreciation of the exhibition.

I am grateful to the following dedicated women who are our support team. Glenda Spellerberg has

kept the books for several years. Lindsey Whiteley, the executive secretary, undertakes the many tasks

needed to run an office. Cheryl Westra is in charge of my archives and helps out in many unexpected ways.

Jack Jonathan, June 29, 2017, Kansas City, Missouri

BRINGING EGYPT TO THE UNITED STATES

When King Farouk of Egypt abdicated in 1952, my wife and I chose to leave Egypt. Wanting to bring with me

memories of the land of my childhood, I began a busy schedule of creating a photographic exhibition, Scenes

of Egypt.

For generations, the world’s imagination has been stirred by the ancientness of this land. For me the temples

and pyramids, the mosques and city gates, were just part of everyday life. I chose instead to focus my camera

on the people contentedly going about their daily lives. My exhibition was shown in Cairo and Alexandria in the

spring of 1952. The images were a revelation to the Egyptians of that time. Even the King, before he left Egypt,

bought several of the prints.

I have always wanted to share these images of the gentle people of Egypt with my American friends. By

the time I was ready to recreate the exhibition, there had been many technical advances in photography. I had

kept up with the changes in the field. However, when I bought my first electronic camera my darkroom became

obsolete as a means of processing film.

For the first time, I found it necessary to work as a team in processing my negatives. I was fortunate to find

a very competent helper, Steve Barr, who has become my friend. As he digitized my negatives it was a surprise

to discover that this process revealed a depth and detail that I was unable to draw from the negatives with the

technology of the 1950s. I am certain that with the aid of the computer and a modern inkjet printer, the artistic

value of my work has been enhanced.

For over ten years, Steve Barr and I have been selecting and printing my images of Egypt, hoping for an

opportunity to have a retrospective exhibition. Finally, fortune smiled on us when serendipity led to an invitation

by Dr. Seregeldin, head of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Egypt, for a showing in January 2016. To my surprise,

the retrospective exhibition of ninety prints had the same magic hold over modern Egyptians as it did when it

was first shown four generations before.

I am grateful to the Ringling College of Art and Design for the opportunity to finally have the chance to share

with a wider audience the lives of the warmhearted, resilient people I grew up among.

Discover for yourself the eternal spirit of the people of Egypt in each inspiring photograph.

3

LIGHT IS THE EYE OF THE MIND

The opportunities to photograph the monuments and

buildings of this ancient city were like a dream for me.

Perhaps it was because I grew up in Egypt, a land of

nearly constant sunlight. Perhaps, it was the way the light

played off the shadows in the courtyards and ancient

buildings of Old Cairo. Or, maybe it was the amazing

sunrises and sunsets I witnessed in the desert. Light has

been a lifetime fascination for me.

Most people in Egypt were self-conscious when

faced with a camera. They would present a very solemn

face. Yet, when I was gentle and patient, and when I

showed that I was sincerely interested in them, I was

often rewarded with a special smile or laughter.

Like people, buildings have moods. The texture of

the stone, etched by the sun and rain and wind, speaks

of centuries of history. I was fascinated by the way the

light and shadow fell on the ancient monuments - the

way they totally changed as the sun crossed the sky,

lighting up what had been dark, revealing what had

been hidden.

Later, alone in my lab, I would play with the images,

trying a variety of techniques to draw out aspects

that I had overlooked when I first captured the scene.

I was fascinated by the hidden details that revealed

themselves in the silence of my darkroom.

The true test of

what is artistic

is not the medium

of expression,

but the effect of

the finished work

on the viewer.

2

The dream has

become reality.

Jack in his studio

surrounded by

four images from

his exhibition.

20

13 P

ho

tog

raph

by G

reg

Milo

to

Seeing Into the Heart of Things

The history of Egypt is intimately tied to its ancient monuments, historical gates, and beautiful mosques. Indeed, these images have come to stand for Egypt. Yet, growing up in Cairo I, like most Egyptians, took for granted the ambience of history pervading our lives. I have always seen into the heart of things. I was excited when, with the aid of my camera, I was able to reveal my feelings about these wonders: the awe inspired by the vastness of the desert; the overwhelming presence of the Sphinx; the magic of the way light and shadow revealed the intricate beauty of the mosques; the moods of the old city gates. “Mr. Jonathan has translated his feelings for his country into light and shadow.” from a 1952 review in Al Mussawar of Jack’s exhibition Faces of Egypt.

“Black is the most essential of all colors. Black is the photographer’s medium and the skill, the patience, and the

artistic sense necessary to exploit it are in the extreme.”Odilon Redon

4

An Eternal Presence

5

The Beauty and the Sphinx

Doorways to the Riddle

For a Long Life

Muhammad Ali Mosque - Window Detail

Entering Old Cairo through the Bab ei-Foutouh Gate

“People of the Book”Living in Harmony

Tourists by the Pyramid

Minaret of Al-Hakim Mosque

Waiting for Riders

Cairo: City of a Thousand Mosques

Many generations of leaders ruled the Cairo area before the Muslims conquered Egypt in 969 CE. They built their capital, Al-Qahira, on the site of modern Cairo. The Muslim influence that pervades the life of the city has earned it the title “City of a Thousand Mosques.” With a backdrop of the imposing mosques, people ply their trades: artisans use the sidewalk as their ateliers; from their moveable carts, vendors sell juices of tamarind or coconut juice, and sweet potatoes or roasted corn. The crowded souks have remained much the same over time. But now the city is a megalopolis whose skyline hides the view of the pyramids, the Nile and the graceful feluccas. “Such great composition, value, contrast, and content all in individual images. A real record of history as well as art.” Judy Farley, MD.

Cairo is not of the 20th Century. It is of all the centuries. John Yemma, the Christian Science Monitor

6

Minaret of the Al-Rifa'i Mosque

7

Khayrbak Mosque

Muhammad Ali Mosque

Silversmith

Sweet Potato Vendor

Passing Strangers, Deep in Thought

Foot Powered Lathe

Corn on the Cob

The Legacy of the Past - The Promise of the Future

Symbols of Egypt’s Eternal Vigor

Rowing Across

A Souk in Old Cairo

9

Felucca Captain (Rais)

InSha'Allah: God Willing

Fellah of Tomorrow - A Future Beyond the Faas

Nile Celebration- Savoring Melon Seeds

Rding High on Her Trusty Gamousa

Fleet Owner

Reliable Transportation

A Country Life Tradition

Food for the Body and Soul

Young Sailor

Wafaa El-Nil, Nile Celebration

More Than a Ship of the Desert

Adjusting the Sails

Egypt: the Gift of the Nile

August 15th is a day of celebration in Egypt - the Nile celebration Wafaa el-Nil – for it is the flood cycles of the Nile that created the wealth that makes Egypt one of the oldest continuous civilizations in the world. To take advantage of these annual cycles, Egyptians dug canals to divert the silt left by the flood. Every year, the canals were drained and dredged to prepare for the coming inundation. It was this annual gift of the Nile, their hard work, and the support of their animals that fed the whole country. The Nile itself was also harvested. In my time, there was such an abundance and variety of fish that the river was crowded with the graceful feluccas that served as fishing boats. Everything a fisherman needed to enjoy a good life came from the great river. “Jack Jonathan’s generous eye offers us gorgeous images of a place both long gone and still with us.” Marc Segan, Inventor, Art Publisher, Businessman. New York.

Hail to thee O Nile! Who manifests thyself in this land, and comes to give life to Egypt.

From “Hymn to the Nile” circa 2100 BCE

8

Felucca Contrejour

11

Hands-Free, an Elegant Posture

Jaddah - Bedouin Grandmother

Singer Sewing Circle

Family Portrait

Sabah al-Ishta:

“May your morning be like cream.”

Lazeeza - Sheikh’s daughter

Good Morning, A'isha

Cooking the Morning Meal

Tender Care in the Desert

Back from the Well

Jiddah - Bedouin Grandfather

Bedouin Madonna

In Sha’ Allah

Rural life is challenging in every country. In my time, seventy-five percent of Egyptians were farmers (fellaheen). Their villages clustered along the river which brought them prosperity. The workday was long and arduous, since they had only animals for help – water buffalo, (gamousa), donkeys, camels, and sometimes horses. Most people’s lives never went beyond their village. Here they worshipped, married, raised a family, and worked. Children were an integral part of the community. Though they took on responsibilities at an early age, they still found time for school and recreation. There was a timelessness and harmony in the simple lives of the fellaheen that created a sense of contentment. They lived with a sense that In Sha’ Allah (God Willing) they would have all that they needed to survive. “Your eye truly captures the inner spirit of Egypt.” Mary Eisenhower, Chief Executive Officer at People to People

International.

Wealth: wishing for little and contentment with what is sufficient. Arabic wisdom collected by Aisha Bilal

10

Father and Son at Home

Traffic Circle, Now Mostafa Kamel Square

Tradition: The Fashionable Choice

Universal Fascination with New Life

School Recess Soccer Game

Reserved Welcome

Sheikh Muhammad - Dressed for Celebration

Muhammad Ali Mosque Courtyard - An oasis of peace

Welcoming Smile

Flight of Doves in Borg el-Arab Courtyard

Contagious Laughter

Nabbout Jousting - Ancient Pastime

Borg el-Arab South Gate,Bab el-Malek

The Faces Of Egypt

Who are the Egyptians? For over 5,000 years, this country endured a parade of conquest and foreign domination. Yet, in the end, these outsiders stayed and became absorbed into the national character of Egypt. People of all levels of the society are unified in a temperament that includes an innate sense of courtesy and hospitality, a love of children, and a respect for old age. Most people in Egypt when faced with my camera presenteda very solemn face. Yet, if I greeted them in Arabic, Sabah al-Ishta (May your morning be like cream), they rewarded me with a special smile, or even a hearty laugh. My shots were not posed so I was able to capture innocent moments of pride or playfulness, concentration or wonder. This country I grew up in was an ethnic melting pot of ancient and modern traditions; a place of harmony and accommodation. “He saw Egypt in a different light … he saw the people and the people merged into the environment where they lived...” Gamal Hosni, Director of Exhibitions, Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Egypt.

“Do not worry. We may be in conflict and chaos, but above all, we are proud of being Egyptians and that will bring us all together at the end.”

From a young Egyptian in Tahrir Square talking to an American reporter in 2011

12

El-Hajj - The Village Elder

EgyptThe Eternal Spirit of Its People

by Jack JonathanA Retrospective Exhibition

June 29 – August 4, 2017

Willis Smith GalleryRingling College of Art and Design

Jonathan & Associates • 4520 Main Street, Suite 220 • Kansas City, MO 64111

M EL AGR A NA E DITIONSVerba volent, scripta manent. • Spoken words fly away, written words remain.

TM

TO ORDER THE BOOK, NOTECARDS OR PRINTS CONTACT: Jack@jonathanassociates.com.

The book is also available on Amazon.com

and at RainyDayBooks.com