One of Egypt’s foremost contemporary artists, Hossam Dirar works across painting, video, sound, and installation art. Born in Cairo in 1978, Dirar graduated from the faculty of Applied Arts, at Helwan University, and later went on to participate in art, photography, and graphic workshops. Interested in the intersection between calligraphy and artistic practices, he went on to pursue a career in graphic design for a multinational advertising agency in Egypt, after which he set up his own studio specializing in graphic artworks on canvas – an approach that continues to influence his work. His bold colors and graphic design techniques result in layered, colorful canvases that seek to question inherited socio-cultural norms – namely, gender roles, cultural identity, and more recently, producing prints that capture scenes of the Egyptian revolution. Speaking of his work, Dirar states: ‘through my artwork, I try to bring to life the beauty of old times, the depth of memorable images in a modern unique vision’. The artist has participated in multiple groups and solo shows across the Arab world, Europe and North America. He lives and works in Barcelona.
