Egyptian visual artist and musician, Hashem L Kelesh`s online presence is even stronger than in the real world. He studied art history and musical composition online, on his own. And he continues to do so, substituting for Egypt`s archaic formal art education programs.
From his flat in suburban Cairo, Kelesh has also been drawing, painting, making music and posting it all online. When it came to his street art, he handed out his stencil designs for others to spray on the city walls.
His inspirations come from online interactions, and he posts the work on his Facebook page, Tumblr blog and SoundCloud. The feedback he gets from his growing fan base and many more who stumble upon his work inspires new work, keeping things rolling.
This video portrait of Kelesh offers insights into his process and psyche, as well as the community of artists and musicians who have preferred online platforms to physical spaces and real-life encounters.
This video was produced by Medrar.TV in collaboration with ibraaz as part of ibraaz platform 007 on the future of arts infrastructures and audiences across North Africa and the Middle East.
[This video was produced by Medrar TV and is featured in partnership with Jadaliyya Culture.]