BRITT BOUTROS-GHALI / LIFE IN COLOuR
Solo exhibition presented by Varvara Roza Galleries
October 2 — 20, 2025
8 Duke Street, St. James’s, London, SW1Y6BN
Britt Boutros-Ghali |Untitled (no. 112) 2024, Acrylic on canvas, 60 x 50 in. (150 x 130 cm)Varvara Roza Galleries and TRAFFICARTS are proud to announce the first solo exhibition in the UK by the internationally acclaimed artist Britt Boutros Ghali - a seminal figure in postwar abstraction whose body of work spans more than six decades.
BRITT is widely regarded as one of the most important abstract painters in the Middle East today, with work held in many important public and private collections, including MOMA, Egypt and the Queen Noor Museum of Modern Art, Aman, Jourdan.
Born in 1937 in Svolvær, Norway, BRITT first found creative sanctuary via the canvas during the long postwar winters of her childhood, with the dramatic light shifts of the northern hemisphere a formative influence on her visual language. She has since devoted her entire life to radical self- expression, creating emotive large-scale canvases that merge gestural abstraction and cultural resonance in her pursuit of beauty.
“I'm very much an action painter. I start painting, and then I just build on and on. The wonderful thing is that when you are in that energy, you don't have time to think of politics or society – there is nothing that can disturb you. It is a sort of transcendence … I have many more layers in my work than I used to have. It's interesting, because my early work was much calmer, and much more serene and, in a sense, dreamy. The energy coming through the work right now is much more powerful. But I think the energy that comes through is reflective of the times we are living in. I empty myself completely in my thoughts when I paint and then some sort of energy starts coming, which grows and grows.” – Britt Boutros Ghali
Since the early-1970s and her marriage to the late Raouf Boutros-Ghali, brother of Boutros Boutros- Ghali and member of Egypt’s prominent Boutros-Ghali family, Ghali has made Egypt her adopted home, dividing her time between studios in Cairo and the North Coast, near Alexandria. Her home and studio in Agami have become a creative sanctuary, adorned with her signature mosaics and murals, and a destination for collectors, curators and cultural leaders from around the world.
Since her first exhibition in Paris in 1962, BRITT has built a truly impressive legacy, and the significance of her illustrious career has been recognised with three prestigious awards. In 1996, she received the St. Olav’s Order, Norway’s highest artistic honour, previously awarded to Edward Munch. In 2010, she was awarded the Slovak Presidential Order for Art and Culture, and in 2023, her leading role in the cultural life of Egypt was recognised when she was bestowed a lifetime achievement award from the Egyptian National Council for Women.Ghali’s acclaimed Women of My World series is a vivid example of her capacity to embody spontaneity and physicality in her work, portraying feminine strength through explosive layers of colour, fabric and light.
Drawing inspiration from the traditions of action painting and colour field abstraction, BRITT’s work is deliberately enigmatic and open to interpretation, inviting the viewer into a place of freedom where their imagination can take flight. As she has previously stated: “I don’t want to paint suffering, there’s too much of that in the world already. I want the paintings to be healing.”
Now in her 88th year, BRITT is at the zenith of her powers, and her pioneering legacy continues to unfold with unwavering momentum. This is reflected in the ambitious scale of the remarkable new canvases presented this October at Varvara Roza Galleries, London in collaboration with TRAFFICARTS.
Opening 1st October 6:30-10 pm
Varvara Roza Galleries
Instagram: @varvararozagalleries
Email: info@varvararozagalleries.com Tel: +44(0)7708250089
LINK TO IMAGES: HERE
Press Enquries
Celia Bailey PR
+ 44(0)7930 442 411 bailey_celia@hotmail.com
Britt Boutros-Ghali, pictured in her studio and garden in Agamy, Egypt. Photo by Ayman Lofty.NOTES TO EDITORS
About Britt Boutros-Ghali
Britt Boutros Ghali (b. 1937) is a Norwegian self-taught artist living and working in Egypt. Since her debut exhibition in Paris in 1962, her work has been exhibited internationally at distinguished Museums and galleries such as Picasso Gallery, Egypt; Kunstner Hus, Norway; Naila Art Gallery, Saudi Arabia; Museé D'Art Contemporain, Morocco, Palazzo Communale Gallery, Italy; Palais del'Unesco, Lebanon; Galerie d'Arc, Geneva, Switzerland; Parlamentarische Gesellschaft, Germany. Ghali’s artworks have been acquired by major public and private collections across the globe including the: Museum of Modern and Contemporary Arab Art (Qatar), Hardanger and Voss Museum (Norway), Museum of Modern Art (Egypt), Queen Noor, Museum of Modern Art (Jourdan), Slovak National Museum (Slovakia).
About Varvara Roza Galleries
Varvara Roza Galleries is founded and led by Varvara Roza, an independent art advisor, curator and agent committed to artists whose purpose, authenticity and passion is redefining the landscape of contemporary art. It is her mission to platform those artists who elevate collective consciousness, and shine the light of hope in an increasingly fractured world. Varvara specialises in the promotion of contemporary art by established and emerging international artists and is determined to feature a multitude of artistic disciplines, with focus on giving a platform to exceptional talent. As such, she regularly works with several leading museums, collectors and institutions in acquisitions of strategic artworks according to their requirements. With over ten years of experience in the contemporary art market, Varvara is trusted by the finest auction houses, leading galleries and collectors because of her discretion, transparency and integrity.
About TRAFFICARTS
TRAFFICARTS is a global artist management agency representing a select group of contemporary artists in the fine art space. With a curatorial approach and deep industry insight, TRAFFICARTS connects its artists to collectors, institutions, and brands worldwide – fostering long-term growth through strategic placements, cross-disciplinary collaborations, and tailored representation. From museum exhibitions to market positioning, TRAFFICARTS champions the voices of artists shaping culture today.