A woman selling folk toys around one of the famous shrines in Egypt. There are 16 festivals ( moulids) a year in Egypt, where religious and folk practices are strongly present. This specific action toy in her hand was developed in my workshop following folk prototypes.

This painting was one of a series called Salt of the Earth. I painted 12 portraits of Egyptian people who provide us with daily life’s necessities and are largely overlooked by most of us. The series was published as a calendar in their honor, both in Egypt and Italy simultaneously, By the United World Foundation and AMU. I raise my hat in respect for all the people who notice and give a helping hand. I am grateful for my dear friend Amany Morgan for providing the photographic document. I am also grateful for Dr. Jailan Abbas and Tarek Attia for writing two great books on the topic.