Britt Boutros-Ghali is one of Egypt’s most celebrated contemporary artists and a world-class talent, following the tradition of abstract expressionist giants such as Helen Frankenthaler, Joan Mitchell, and Franz Kline.

Boutros-Ghali was born in 1937 in Svolvaer, in the Northern part of Norway, where the saturation of light in the summer was juxtaposed by the lack thereof in winter. She endured the harsh weather and daunting pressure of the Second World War. This emotional backdrop provided a fertile landscape for her bursting, colorful, and emotional work.

Boutros-Ghali has spent the last five decades living and working in Egypt where she is an integral part of the country's artistic community.

Today, she divides her time between Cairo and Agami, maintaining studios in both locations. Her residence and studio in Agami, situated west of Alexandria along Egypt's northern coast, reflect her deep affection for the region. The artist compound is a living piece of art, infused with intricately crafted mosaics and murals. Local artists, collectors, and individuals with a taste for the unique frequently gather at her home, while art enthusiasts from around the world make the journey to meet her and acquire her work.

Boutros-Ghali’s prolific career spans over six decades and includes both abstract and figurative works. Her paintings are charismatic and bold—exuberant celebrations of life, spirit, and dreamlike visions. She is widely regarded as one of the most important abstract painters in the Middle-East. She has built a truly impressive legacy, and the significance of her illustrious career has been recognized with three prestigious awards. In 1996, she received the St. Olav's Order, Norway's highest artistic honor, from King Haakon for her cultural and artistic contributions; a rare distinction also awarded to Edward Munch. In 2010, she was awarded the Slovak Presidential Order for Art and Culture. Yet, it is perhaps her 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award for Women in the Arts from the Egyptian government that resonates most deeply. A testament to her indelible impact on the artistic landscape of her adopted homeland, it serves as a fitting tribute to a lifetime devoted to creativity and expression.

Boutros-Ghali’s work has garnered international acclaim. Since her debut exhibition in Paris in 1962, it has been exhibited worldwide, and her paintings are held in numerous private and public collections. The demand for her work is more fervent than ever. This year and next year all alone she will have three solo shows.

Selected Public and Private Collections:

Coca Cola Collection

Marwa Mansour Collection

Mercedes Benz Collection

Norsk Hydro Collection

Museum of Modern and Contemporary Arab Art, Doha, Qatar

Museum of Modern Art, Cairo, Egypt

Queen Noor, Museum of Modern Art, Aman, Jourdan

Musée d'Art Contemporain, Marrakesh, Morocco

Kunst og Industrimuseum, Trondheim, Norway

Saltstrømmen Art Center, Norway

Hardanger and Voss Museum, Utne, Norway

Galleri Nord Norge, Harstad, Norway

Galeri Kvale Hammerfest, Norway

Kranes Galeri, Tromso, Norway

Galeri Vesterålen, Sortland, Norway

Paletten, Harstad, Norway

Slovak National Museum, Bratislava, Slovakia

Selected Exhibitions:

2026

A solo show is scheduled with The Page Gallery in Seoul, South Korea

2025

An upcoming solo exhibition titled “Life in Colour: Britt Boutros-Ghali” is scheduled for October (1-20) at Varvara Roza Galleries, London, UK

“Thirty Six for Coral”, A selling exhibition to raise funds for the protection of coral reefs, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France (Group Show)

“Britt Boutros-Ghali”, Galerie Son, Berlin, Germany (Solo Show)

2024

“The Collector’s Eye XI”, Ubuntu Art Gallery, Cairo, Egypt (Group Show)

“Forever Is Composed of Nows”, Janet Rady Fine Art, London, UK (Group Show)Boutros-Ghali’s art, characterized by vibrant colors, abstract forms and large-scale energetic paintings, draws inspiration from Egypt's rich and exotic culture. Employing "action painting", her work embodies a sense of spontaneity and creativity. The physicality of her work is evident through her seasoned and competent use of materials — the subject and outcome are determined through methodical structure, yet spontaneous in the outcome, hence allowing for the nature of the materials and her use of them to unfold and tell their mysteries.

“I always start by putting all my colors around me. Then I just let things happen. I really don’t have any idea of what I’m going to do. Everything to start feels a little chaotic and then I slowly make order from the chaos and give it structure. Sometimes I’m not even aware of what I’m doing.”—Britt Boutros-Ghali