“Oussama
Amar” belongs to Charles Hascoët’s series of portraits inspired by contemporary
figures. The title refers to Oussama Ammar, a Franco-Lebanese entrepreneur
known as the cofounder of the startup incubator, which played a significant
role in the European tech ecosystem during the 2010s before its collapse. Rather
than presenting a literal portrait, Hascoët approaches the figure as a symbolic
presence associated with ambition, controversy, and the mythology of the
startup world. Ammar’s public persona, at times celebrated and at times
contested, embodies the complex narratives surrounding contemporary entrepreneurial
culture. The painting transforms a contemporary personality into an evocative
image. The work reflects on how figures from technology and media circulate
within collective imagination, blurring the boundaries between individual
identity, public narrative, and cultural myth.