Ramez Elias: In Memoriam (1958–2016)

It is with deep sorrow that we, the editors of Nka: Journal of Contemporary African Art, mourn the death of Ramez Elias, who passed away on Thursday, April 21, 2016, in Paris, France. Ramez was the designer of Nka for the last sixteen years. A remarkably talented artist, Ramez has left an indelible mark on the design of Nka, shaping its character, not only as a leading journal, but also as an elegant one in the field of contemporary and African and African diaspora art. Ramez was not just a brilliant designer; he was a dear friend. He was generous, kind-hearted, and a very caring human being. Words fail to convey our loss and sadness. But here at Nka, we shall continue to build on the design vision he established and that has taken us this far.

Ramez studied at the American University in Cairo before moving to Ithaca, where he lived beginning in 1994. He was a multitalented and creative individual. In addition to being a designer, he was also a gifted theater actor who performed with groups such as Al Warsha, an experimental theater company based in Cairo, Egypt. Ramez hailed from a prominent Egyptian family that played a pioneering role in the rise of the independent publishing industry in Egypt since the early part of the twentieth century. His grandfather, Elias Anton Elias, a well-known modernist intellectual and the author of one of the first Arabic-English dictionaries in Egypt, founded in 1913 the Elias Modern Publishing House, which has contributed tremendously to publishing in the fields of literature, arts, and children’s books.

Our sincere condolences to our dear friend Natalie Melas, Ramez’s wife; his brother, Nadim Elias, and his wife, Laura Elias; his nephews, Sammy and Karim; his niece, Nada El Omari; his brother-in-law, Majdi El Omari; and the extended family and friends in Egypt and Ithaca, New York.

Rest in peace, Ramez. Your memory and the beauty you brought to our lives will forever stay with us and guide us to better horizons.

Okwui Enwezor
Chika Okeke-Agulu
Salah M. Hassan