Born in 1943 in Alexandria, Dawestashy graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts in 1967 with a major in sculpture.
At the beginning of his career as a visual artist, Dawestashy would create abstract formations using his experience in photography and collage work.
He developed his painting skills. Inspired by the Dada art movement, he changed his name from Esmat Abdel-Halim to Esmat Dawestashy. Dadaism developed in 1915 in Zurich, Switzerland, as a protest against the First World War.
A disciple of Seif Wanly (1906-1979), one of the most important Egyptian painters of the 20th century, Dawestashy's early years were also shaped by Egyptian artists such as Abdel Hady El-Gazzar (1925-1966) and Effat Nagy (1905-1994). He also often drew inspiration from Pablo Picasso.
Dawestashy was an artist who often changed his style. His paintings presented somewhat irrational but symbolic arrays of intensely coloured coils and bundles.
The artist also explored Sufi mysticism. Later in life, he began creating three-dimensional forms using discarded items to comment on societal issues caustically.
Since 1962, Dawestashy has held more than 80 exhibitions locally and internationally. He has published many books and studies in art criticism and documentation. In addition, he has written poetry, short stories, screenplays and his autobiography Al-Ramla Al-Baydaa. He directed a number of short films, including Mahmoud Said (1997) and Al-Risha Wal-Qalam (The Brush and the Pen, 2001).
Dawestashy won many prizes, including an award for children's illustrations in Japan. He also won another prize from French radio for designing a poster on Africa, Cairo's Picasso-Miro Award, and the jury award at the 18th Alexandria Biennale.
Dawestashy was the director of the Museum of Fine Arts in Alexandria and the head of the Alexandria Creativity Centre.
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