(b. 1931)
Born in Cairo in 1931, Omar El-Nagdi is a sculptor, director, musician and philosopher. He graduated at the Faculty of Fine Arts Helwan University in 1953. He participated in many exhibitions and Biennales in Egypt, Europe and the former Soviet Union where he was awarded a one-year scholarship to study Ceramics in 1959. El-Nadgi went on to study in both Russia and Italy. Over the period of 1960-64 he conducted further studies in the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice, Italy. In 1963, he graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Ravenna, Italy, where he studied the Art of Mosaic. In 1964, El-Nagdi obtained a diploma from the Venice-based Ruskin Artistic Appreciation Institute in Italy. El-Nagdi made his mark in establishing the Egyptian identity in modern Egyptian art and has been awarded numerous awards including first prizes in Alexandria Biennale in 1966, 1968 and 1974. His works are exhibited at museums in Egypt, Italy, France, USA, England and Korea and has had numerous solo and collective exhibitions around the world.