Ammar Abo Bakr

Ammar Abo Bakr, or Ammar, is an Egyptian artist. His desire is to educate and communicate through art and to take his work from the studio into the public space; his murals are as much about his own artistic expression as they are about generating and contributing to a wider dialogue with the public. The artist began his career in his native country; his works can be found in major Egyptian cities such as Cairo, Luxor and Alexandria. He soon began creating works outside of his home country, painting in Beirut, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Brussels. His murals depict the many turning points of the Egyptian revolution as well as themes relating to Coptic and Islamic culture, popular art and Egyptian history. In addition to his street art and his efforts to preserve cultural heritage, Abo Bakr has also been working as a draughtsman with an Egyptian-German archaeological team since 2006. This experience allowed him to acquire a vast knowledge of Egyptology and enabled him to use the symbols in his murals to raise awareness among the general public of the history of Egypt. He has also co-directed three documentary films on archaeological excavations. Since 2008, Abo Bakr has also been working as a supervisor at the Luxor International Studio, which gives him the opportunity to participate in international artistic exchanges. He has participated in individual and group exhibitions presenting Egypt’s rich cultural heritage: its Sufi festivals, temples, architecture and rich landscapes.