ELMERMAH 2016

Alaa Awad made this striking mural painting, ELMERMAH, directly on a wall, and it’s all about how marks can conjure a whole world. The painting feels both ancient and modern. Look at the way Awad uses these fluid, almost calligraphic lines to define the figures and horses. The colours are earthy – reds, browns, blues – laid down in broad strokes that let the texture of the wall peek through. It’s like he’s not just painting an image, but revealing the energy of the place itself. I keep coming back to those red lines, almost like dripping blood, that run down the legs of the horses, connecting them to the ground. It’s a visceral touch that really grounds the piece, giving it weight and movement. Awad reminds me of Jacob Lawrence, in the way he uses flat, patterned shapes to tell stories about history and community. But there’s also something uniquely Egyptian about his style, a connection to the art of the Pharaohs, where every line and figure had a purpose. It's a conversation across time.