As a child, Omar used to sit in cafes observing people’s faces and behavior, he saw their joys and sorrows and the feelings that were in their chests, and he didn’t know a better way to express that than with his brush, with which he recorded what his memory stored.

The features of his figures are not visible, but their body language reveals the inner being and the state of their psyche.

Omar EL-Fayoumi continues to reside in an ancient house in an old neighborhood, as the inexhaustible fountain and ideal environment nourish his imagination and serve as his source of life. He is in close proximity to Khedive Cairo, where art, culture, and literature congregate in downtown cafés.

About the Artist

Omar El-Fayoumi was born in 1957 and graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts’ murals department in 1981 before heading to Russia to receive his Ph.D. in 1991.

Since then, his works have been displayed in a variety of Cairo locations. Early works by the artist, created in the 1980s, demonstrate a love of traditional portraiture. In the 1980s, influenced by his instructor Hamed Nada, he began drawing prominent café Omar El-Fayoumi was born in 1957 and graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts’ murals department in 1981 before heading to Russia to receive his Ph.D. in 1991.

Since then, his works have been displayed in a variety of Cairo locations. Early works by the artist, created in the 1980s, demonstrate a love of traditional portraiture. In the 1980s, influenced by his instructor Hamed Nada, he began drawing prominent cafés.