Karim Abu Shakra 

b. 1982, Umm el-Fahem; lives and works in Umm el-Fahem.

A member of the Abu Shakra family, known for its passion for art, Karim's paintings are inspired by his childhood memories and wanderings in nature. The two major themes in his paintings are nature and man, which constitute an autobiography of his own experiences. Painting, he says, flows from within him. He does not plan the work in advance, but rather feels and then executes it without paying attention to anything other than the act of painting itself.

Abu Shakra's painting addresses the sabra (prickly pear) motif—a recurring theme in the paintings of his late uncle, artist Asim Abu Shakra. At the outset of his career, the sabra in Karim's paintings was realistic and faithful to its natural appearance. It was depicted as a hedge, usually in dark colors and dimly lit. His recent paintings are characterized by a bright color palette and a new painting style. The sabra is presented in various geometric shapes or in an expressive style that combines points and sharp contours, at times even turning abstract.

As an Arab-Israeli artist, the sabra symbolizes his connection to the land, to suffering, but he also regards it as a symbol of regeneration and flourishing.

On the truck, Abu Shakra depicted sabras of different sizes and styles, which will travel throughout the country and reach places where they do not usually grow in the wild.

Self-taught