Yasser Rostom is an Egyptian surrealist artist born in 1971, often referred to as ‘the Egyptian Dali’.
“Surrealism is me,” says artist Yasser Rostom.
He graduated from Helwan University’s Faculty of Art Education in 1996 and has since become a master of pen and ink technique. He draws imagery that blends ancient and modern elements to create something entirely surreal. His solid contrasting backgrounds serve the often bizarre messages of his work. He has held more than 30 solo exhibitions in Cairo and participated in over 25 exhibitions internationally, including in Amsterdam, Paris, Rome, London, New York, Dubai, and Chicago.
His work explores themes of humanity, myth, power, and animals.
He mixes literalism with symbolism to create layers of meanings and accentuate the ills afflicting the region and the hopes that could salvage the peoples. His series “Doves and Crows” reflects on the Arab Spring and the search for answers. The dove and the crow appear as icons of peace and power, revealing his paranoiac-critical method of decoding the present. He creates an invigorating contemporary euphoria with a phantasmagoric atmosphere. His work is a surrealistic interpretation of a realistic and turbulent world.
He is known for his intricate pen and ink technique.
His drawings are a silent poetry that reveals truth. He is inspired by Ramses Younan’s statement that art presents itself as the means to liberate the nation. His work often combines Pharaonic roots with themes about myth, power, and mankind. He creates a play of contrasts between the eternal and the lived, the East and the West, the sacred and the carnal. He offers a vast field of imagination as a weapon of protest.
He is a lover of pen and ink with impeccable technique.
His subjects appear as if out of nowhere, magnifying the glory and mystique of his subjects. His work is a powerful, thought-provoking, and surrealistically unforgettable experience. He continues to create art that challenges and inspires.
Yasser Rostom is a master of surrealism whose work blends ancient Egyptian symbolism with contemporary socio-political commentary. His intricate drawings and powerful imagery have earned him international recognition. He remains a significant figure in the world of surrealist art.
