Cairo’s Streets Reframed
Dalila Hassanein
Portrait of Dalila Hassanein Courtesy of AUC Today
Dalila Hassanein is a Cairo-based artist whose work bridges the everyday visuals of urban life and profound cultural commentary. Inspired by street advertisements and informal creativity, she explores themes of decolonization and identity reclamation. A senior at The American University in Cairo (AUC), her art reimagines Cairo’s overlooked walls bringing them to life through installations and paintings that challenge cultural perceptions. DIVAZ Managing Editor had an exquisite conversation with Hassanein, who––in a pleasant twist of fate––turned out to be his neighbor.
How have your cultural experiences shaped your identity, not just as an artist but as a person?
I was born in Montreal and raised in the French system before moving to Cairo, where I attended Lycée Français du Caire. Though it was a good education, it lacked decolonization, which sparked my frustration. Studying in France, I realized the myths about the West and Egypt. While back in Cairo continuing my undergraduate degree, I became fascinated by painted street ads, feeding this need to untangle "Oa’det el khawaga" (the foreigner’s complex). My work isn’t about an aesthetic or style; it’s a way of thinking and seeing. I focus on what I call “informal creativity”—the everyday visuals we barely notice, like street ads or text on walls. It’s like transforming the ugly into something beautiful.
What were some of the biggest challenges that you’ve faced along your journey thus far?
The biggest challenge is the irregular, informal art market. I often lose money with exhibitions—large paintings cost a lot to create and transport, but rarely sell. This unpredictability makes it tough for many artists, not just me, to sustain their work.
Walk us through a day in your creative process.
My creative process starts with me being in the streets; I see something in the street that completely captivates me and I want to paint it. I have an album on my phone that has like 3,500 photos, so as I walk in the street, I’m constantly taking photos. I see what I want to paint and I choose that and replicate it.
Who is your Diva?
Any Arab artist working towards reclaiming their identity––like Elyanna or Saint-Levant––is a diva. On a personal level, my diva is Dina Sherif, my parent’s friend and a professor at MIT. She inspires me to keep going whenever I feel lost.
