Cairo Bazaars, Caravaggio & the Power of Light

Q (expanded from Lee’s third question): Who are your greatest influences, and how do they manifest in your work?

My influences are as diverse as my background. Cairo was my earliest classroom—its bazaars and markets overflowing with textiles, colours, and geometric patterns. The vibrancy of Islamic art and architecture, alongside the golden hues of the Alexandrian sunset, first awakened my fascination with colour.

But perhaps the greatest artistic influence has been Caravaggio. His chiaroscuro—the dramatic dance of light and shadow—captured my imagination. I share his fascination with depth, weight, and the tension light creates on the canvas. When I paint, I feel almost addicted to this interplay: light isn’t simply illumination, it’s energy, drama, and emotion.

That influence continues today. Whether I’m layering oil glazes or experimenting with mica powders, I look to the lessons of contrast—how light can pull us into intimacy, and how darkness can make colour burn brighter.

For me, Cairo’s riot of colour and Caravaggio’s mastery of light are not separate—they are two threads woven together in every canvas.

✨ Experience this dialogue of light and colour in my original artworks.