'I painted her voice' - Cartoonist George Bahgory talks to Sayed Mahmoud about his muse, Umm Kolthoum

The studio is full of books, mostly works of art by famous international artists. Quite a few are literary books, including some by Bahgory himself including Bahgar Fil Mahgar (Bahgar the Expat), Al-Rusum Al-Mamnuah (The Banned Paintings) and Ayqunat Faltas (The Faltas Icons). I laughed when I looked at the shelves of books, because I remembered something Bahgory wrote in the preface of his book, Bahgar Fil Mahgar to the effect that he never reads the books his friends, now eminent literary figures, give him, although he pretends to have done so.
The walls of the rooms, painted in baby blue, are covered with paintings and sculptures, some by friends of Bahgory. I recognise a sketch by the late Hassan Suleiman. But the one painting that grips my attention is a reproduction of the famous one by Bahgory of Umm Kolthoum -- in carpet form. Bahgory says it was made by a carpet folk artist from Foua in Kafr Al-Sheikh.
I walk round the studio, trying to find an answer to the question of why an artist would do what Bahgory did in his recent exhibition. Why dedicate nearly 70 per cent of the paintings in one show to one face, that of Umm Kolthoum?

In the promotional material for the exhibition, Bahgory said he was not trying to paint the diva, but something else. "I am not painting Umm Kolthoum, but her voice, for to me her voice represents an important phase in modern Egyptian history. Voices can enchant us before our eyes catch on with passion and love."