The 8-bit Portraits series by artist Ahmed El Shaer, depicts famous and infamous characters from the contemporary history of the Middle East, while applying 8-bit technique as an artistic tool.

8-bit is known for its simple aesthetics, reminiscent of early system programming, the infancy of computers in the late ’70s and ’80s, and the look of video games, including Atari. Between characters design, gameplay elements, game design, unique color palettes, 8-bit Portraits evokes a certain digital nostalgia, as it looks at political history.