By Muhammed Kotb
When Ancient Egypt comes to mind, one cannot help but imagine a place of history and culture. A mental image of the bountiful river Nile nourishing an endless desert, allowing our ancestors to flourish in an almost unbearable environment, is formed.
It is a majestic place of magnificent architecture with proud people. Such an adamant portrait of Pharaonic Egypt is always present in our subconscious, unchanging as Ancient Egypt itself. Now, what Egyptian Artist Ehab Hassouna has done to it is revolutionary, to say the least.
The young artist, in a daring move, managed to bring Ancient Egypt to the world of abstract art. In his new collection, “Dynasty”, he attempts to create a visual journey that merges an old, timeless place with a modern art twist. And we’d have to say, the results are staggering!
Ancient Egypt that we all grew adoring is presented from a completely different viewpoint, one that pours creativity and passion. To see the likeness of Ancient Egyptian kings and gods amidst graffiti, street art, worn out clothes, and cigarette smoke is truly baffling. It is something that cannot be described in words as it both offends and moves something deep inside, giving you a feeling of bewilderment and awe. The controversy that your eyes witness is what makes this beautiful.
Ehab Hassouna graduated from the American University in Dubai with a BA in Management, he currently works as a Social Media Strategist. Nevertheless, between the busy working hours and his successful career, he found time to open up to the world with his passion for art.
Here’s a glimpse into the contrasting worlds that the artist has created.
Here, Hassouna imagines Anubis the Ancient Egyptian God of the Dead wearing a sweatshirt, holding a French Bulldog with a defiant look in his eye.
In this one, the young artist explores what Nefertiti would look like smoking a cigarette in a glitch-like background.
One of our favorites in the collection is the modern Nefertiti, where Hassouna merges between the Egyptian Queen and the modern looks of a woman.
King Tut of Ancient Egypt here is an effigy on a random street’s wall with posters and graffiti all around.
And here, the famous Abu Simbel is submerged in street art.
If you are interested and you want to know more about the artist and see more work, click here.