room for humour

Hassan El-Shark (b. 1949)

Hassan El Shark is a self-taught artist born in the southern-Egyptian village of Zawya Sultan in Minya governorate on the banks of the Nile in 1949.

His innate talent was discovered by German art critic Ursula Schernig, who helped set up his first exhibitions and presentation to the art community locally and internationally. Shark is deeply affected by the Egyptian environment in which he grew up in, the banks of the Nile and Pharaonic tombs.

He held hundreds of exhibitions in Egypt and abroad while being honored in multiple countries such as Sweden, Switzerland, USA and Germany. His paintings were exhibited at the Louvre Museum in Paris and more than 17 studies have been published about his work in pursuit of masters and doctorate degrees. Shark was invited to Bogota to help researchers at the University of Colombia through sharing his knowledge of creating natural colours out of stones, plants, flowers and natural herbs. He was awarded an honorary doctorate and patents for his paints by the University in 2017.

Shark displays his work in a self-created museum in his hometown, which has become a regional tourist attraction. A number of documentaries have been released covering his artistic career. His work can be found in museums and private collections locally and all over the world.