The Concept Behind My Work by Salma El Ashry
In my artistic practice, I am deeply committed to exploring the symbolism of the elements that surround me and to delving into their profound meanings—meanings that may often go unnoticed, yet form essential keys to understanding much of my work.
The majority of my pieces contain symbols that reflect personal, contemplative visions, intimately connected to the places and objects around me. These works are nourished by my readings and inner reflections.
I draw inspiration from the symbols of ancient Egyptian heritage, using them as a contemplative entry point to examine our relationship with identity and visual memory.
My artistic vision emerges from a personal meditation on the meanings of identity and existence. In this journey, I turn to ancient Egyptian symbols and texts—chief among them the lotus flower, which I regard as a central icon due to its multiple manifestations and its profound philosophical role centered around the concepts of rebirth, balance, and inner transformation.
I also incorporate other symbols, such as the dove, which I see as a representation of loyalty, return, and peace.
Color plays a pivotal symbolic role in completing this vision, alongside other visual elements.
Each color carries a philosophical significance rooted in the legacy of ancient Egypt:
• Green symbolizes purity, renewal, and the continuity of the spirit.
• Blue represents protection, connection to the sacred, and embodies
tranquility and psychological harmony.
• Red signifies energy, life, passion, and the latent strength within the human being.
Through this framework, I seek to build bridges between eras—between the past and the present—reinterpreting cultural symbols from a contemporary, humanistic perspective.
My intention is to open a spiritual and contemplative space for the viewer, inviting them to look beyond the surface image, to listen to the hidden messages that these symbols transmit when revived in a personal, spiritual, and modern philosophical context
Mitchell Pluto 