The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

What inspires the truest form of art? What makes an art piece stand out among all other competition? Pain, passion, authenticity? The debate will live long and is likely never to be resolved, yet from within this conflict arise numerous pieces, evoking emotional responses from all viewers and lasting for many, many years.

Taking the advocacy of authenticity as the truest inspiration of art, Hassan El Shark used his village as his muse in producing many beautiful pieces of art. The Minya born artist taught himself all the required skills to craft his artwork, and with dedication, determination, and unmistakable talent, El Shark managed to gain international acclaim with his work.

Featured in global publications such as The Express Tribune, Hassan El Shark took his place in the international world of art after being discovered by German art critic, Ursula Schernig. After seeing the beauty of his work, Schernig helped organise an exhibition for the talented Egyptian in Cairo, and then another in Europe. All of his paintings were sold in those exhibitions, further proving the undeniable allure of his work.

So how did his passion start? Hassan started as a child, using palm tree fibre in his first paintings. All of his work is inspired from his life in an Egyptian village called Zawyet Sultan in Minya Governorate. His work features the everyday life of the village, showcasing the animals, trees, market stalls, feluccas, and the men and women working tirelessly every day. His work is an iconic image of an Egyptian village with all of its hardship, love, and beauty.

The unique thing about Hassan’s work is his colours. In order to portray such a lively image with vibrant hues, El Shark forms his own colours with a nature-inspired palette. He uses spices and herbs from local shops to create the tones he needs in his paintings, something that adds a lot to the image and helps the painting have a long life.