It has been suggested that Ismail’s works render expressive interactions between the environment and past experiences, as he was predominantly attracted to the essence of things, not their appearances.
Dr. Mohamed Ismail was born in 1936 in Zagazig in Egypt. Although a medical professional by trade, his love for art spurred him to obtain his MA in painting from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Cairo. He received his Ph.D. in the history of fine arts and held numerous private and collective exhibitions from 1958 to 1969.
Ismail lived in southern Europe for many years, savouring the Greek and Roman civilisations. He lived in Andalucia (southern Spain), and France before travelling to Turkey, Beirut, Kuwait, Iran, the Gulf, India, South East Asia and Japan, finally anchoring himself in Tokyo where he spent years living and learning the traditions of the people of ancient and modern Japan, eventually calling it home.
On a return trip to Egypt, Ismail visited the Maldives, where he spent much time working and writing (he authored a book about the Maldives in Arabic), he also held two exhibitions, the first of which was attended by the republic’s president. The allure of Ismail's art is evident in his versatile portfolio, made even more impressive by his late foray into art as a career change. He demonstrated a notable proficiency in tackling styles spanning abstract, figurative and expressionist schools. It has been suggested that Ismail’s works render expressive interactions between the environment and past experiences, as he was predominantly attracted to the essence of things, not their appearances.