Wael Shawky
Based on extensive periods of research and enquiry, Wael Shawky’s work tackles notions of national, religious and artistic identity through film, performance and storytelling. Whether instructing Bedouin children to act out the construction of an airport runway in the desert or organizing a heavy metal concert in a remote Egyptian village, Shawky frames contemporary culture through the lens of historical tradition and vice versa. Mixing truth and fiction, childlike wonder and spiritual doctrine, Shawky has staged epic recreations of the medieval clashes between Muslims and Christians in his trilogy of puppets and marionettes – titled Cabaret Crusades: The Horror Show Files (2010), The Path to Cairo (2012) and The Secrets of Karbala (2015) – while his three-part film, Al Araba Al Madfuna, uses child actors to recount poetic myths, paying homage, rather than mere lip-service, to the important narratives of yesteryear.
Wael Shawky was born in Alexandria in 1971 where he lives and works. Recent solo exhibitions have been held at Pompeii Archaeological Park, Pompeii, Italy (2023); M Leuven Museum, Brussels, Belgium (2022); The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Fort Worth, TX, USA (2021), The Louvre Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE (2020), ARoS, Aarhus Kunstmuseum, Aarhus,Denmark (2018); Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Yinchaun, China (2017); Castello di Rivoli, Turin, Italy (2016); Fondazione Merz, Turin, Italy (2016); Kunsthaus Bregenz, Austria (2016); Fondazione Merz, Zurich, Switzerland (2016); MATHAF, Doha, Qatar (2015) and MoMA P.S.1, New York, NY, USA (2015); K20 Düsseldorf, Germany (2014-15); Serpentine Galleries, London, UK (2013-14); KW Contemporary Art Institute, Berlin, Germany (2012); Nottingham Contemporary, UK (2011); Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA (2011); Delfina Foundation, London, UK (2011) and Cittadellarte – Fondazione Pistoletto, Biella, Italy (2010). He has represented Egypt at La Biennale Di Venezia (2024); participated in the 14th Istanbul Biennial, Turkey (2015); the 11th Sharjah Biennial, UAE (2013); Documenta 13, Kassel, Germany (2012); the 9th Gwangju Biennial, South Korea (2012); SITE Santa Fe Biennial, NM, USA (2008); the 9th Istanbul Biennial, Turkey (2005); and the 50th Venice Biennale, Italy (2003). Recent awards include the inaugural Mario Merz Prize (2015); the Award for Filmic Oeuvre created by Louis Vuitton and Kino der Kunst (2013); the Abraaj Capital Art Prize (2012); the Schering Foundation Art Award (2011), as well as The International Commissioning Grant and an award from the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, in 2005. In 2010, Shawky founded the educational space MASS Alexandria.
Recent, current and forthcoming projects
'Drama 1882' (solo), Egypt Pavillion, La Biennale Di Venezia, Italy (2024)
Wael Shawky
Drama 1882
2024
4k video, sound, color, VFX, Arabic
Installation view at the 60th International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia, 2024
© Wael Shawky; Courtesy of Lisson Gallery, Sfeir-Semler Gallery, Lia Rumma, and Barakat Contemporary
Wael Shawky
Drama 1882
Installation view at the 60th International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia, 2024
© Wael Shawky; Courtesy of Lisson Gallery, Sfeir-Semler Gallery, Lia Rumma, and Barakat Contemporary
Wael Shawky
Drama 1882: Mirror
2024
Murano glass
335 x 220 cm
131 7/8 x 86 5/8 in
Wael Shawky
I am Hymns of the New Temples
أنا تراتیل المعابد الجدیدة
2023
Video, sound, color, VFX Arabic
55 min
© Wael Shawky, Courtesy the Artist and the Ministry of Culture – Archaeological Park of Pompeii
Wael Shawky
I am Hymns of the New Temples
أنا تراتیل المعابد الجدیدة
2023
Video, sound, color, VFX Arabic
55 min
© Wael Shawky, Courtesy the Artist and the Ministry of Culture – Archaeological Park of Pompeii
Wael Shawky
Isles of the Blessed V
2022
Oil on canvas
181 x 149.9 x 6.4 cm
71 1/4 x 59 x 2 1/2 in
Wael Shawky
Isles of the Blessed II
2022
Oil on canvas
220 x 160 x 6.4 cm
86 5/8 x 63 x 2 1/2 in
Wael Shawky
Isles of the Blessed IV
2022
Oil on canvas
180.7 x 150.5 x 6.4 cm
71 1/8 x 59 1/4 x 2 1/2 in
Wael Shawky
Al Araba Al Madfuna, Paintings
2019
Oil on canvas
120 x 150 x 5 cm
47 1/8 x 59 x 1 7/8 in
Wael Shawky
The Gulf Project Camp: Glass Sculpture # 1
2019
Glass, 75 x 80 x 200 cm / 29 1/2 x 31 1/2 x 78 5/8 in
Wael Shawky
The Gulf Project Camp: Sculpture # 3
2019
Bronze, 50.8 x 120.6 x 61 cm / 20 x 47 1/2 x 24 in
Wael Shawky
The Gulf Project Camp: Sculpture # 4
2019
Bronze, 85.1 x 135.9 x 62.9 cm / 33 1/2 x 53 1/2 x 24 3/4 in
Wael Shawky
The Gulf Project Camp: Drawing # 31
2019
Graphite, Ink, oil, mixed media on cotton paper, 56.8 x 37.5 cm /22 3/8 x 14 3/4 in
Wael Shawky
The Gulf Project Camp: Drawing # 20
2019
Graphite, Ink, oil, mixed media on cotton paper, 56.8 x 37.5 cm / 22 3/8 x 14 3/4 in
Wael Shawky
The Gulf Project Camp: Drawing # 14
2019
Graphite, Ink, oil, mixed media on cotton paper, 56.8 x 37.5 cm, (22 3/8 x 14 3/4 in)
Wael Shawky
The Gulf Project Camp: Drawing # 2
2019
Graphite, Ink, oil, mixed media on cotton paper, 50.5 x 70.2 cm, (19 7/8 x 27 5/8 in)
Wael Shawky
Cabaret Crusades: The Capture of Jerusalem by Jacques de Molay in 1299 (after Claude Jacquand, 1846)
2018
Hand-carved wood, paint, goldleaf, 250 x 450 cm / 98 3/8 x 177 1/8 in
Wael Shawky
Cabaret Crusades: Relief of the Siege of Jerusalem 1189-91 (after Jean Colombe's After the capture of Acre 1189 by Bourges,1475)
2018
Hand carved wood, paint, gold leaf
Wael Shawky
Cabaret Crusades, Map 2, (Damascus)
2016
Sandblasted glass panels, mirrors
150 x 220 cm / 59 x 86 5/8 in
Wael Shawky
Al Araba Al Madfuna III
2015
HD film, sound, subtitles
Wael Shawky
Cabaret Crusades III: The Secrets of Karbala
2015
HD Film, colour, sound, English subtitles
2 hours
Wael Shawky
Cabaret Crusades III: The Secrets of Karbala
2015
HD Film, colour, sound, English subtitles
2 hours
Wael Shawky
Cabaret Crusades III: The Secrets of Karbalaa (Marionette)
2014
Murano glass, 33 x 17 cm / 13 x 6 3/4 in
Wael Shawky
Cabaret Crusades III: The Secrets of Karbalaa (Drawing)
2014
Graphite, pigments, ink, and oil on paper
90 x 130 cm / 35 3/8 x 51 1/8 in
Wael Shawky
Cabaret Crusades III: The Secrets of Karbalaa (Marionette)
2014
Murano glass
55 x 10 x 17 cm / 21 5/8 x 4 x 6 5/8 in
Wael Shawky
Dictums: Manqia I, 2014
HD Video 16:9 ratio, silent 11mins 10 seconds
Wael Shawky
Dictums: Manqia I, 2014
HD Video 16:9 ratio, silent 11mins 10 seconds
Wael Shawky
Dictums: 10:120, 2014
Sound work, 2013, 23 mins 40 seconds Documentary, 2014, Silent, colour video, 6 mins 2 seconds
Wael Shawky
Dictums: Drawing 13, 2014
Pencil, ink and oil on paper 50.5 x 68 x 3.8 cm / 20 x 26 7/8 x 1 1/2 in
Wael Shawky
Cabaret Crusades III: The Secrets of Karbalaa (Marionette)
2014
Murano glass
51.5 x 14 x 17 cm / 20 x 5 1/2 x 6 5/8 in
Wael Shawky
Cabaret Crusades III: The Secrets of Karbalaa (Marionette)
2014
Murano glass
49 x 8 x 17 cm / 19 3/8 x 3 x 6 5/8 in
Wael Shawky
Cabaret Crusades III: The Secrets of Karbalaa (Marionette)
2014
Murano glass
56 x 26 x 17 cm / 22 x 10 1/4 x 6 5/8 in
Wael Shawky
Al Araba Al Madfuna II
2013
B&W film, sound, subtitles, 34 minutes 34 seconds
Wael Shawky
Al Araba Al Madfuna I
2012
B&W film, sound, subtitles, 21 minutes
Wael Shawky
Cabaret Crusades II: The Path to Cairo
2012
HD video, colour, sound, English Subtitles
60 mins
Wael Shawky
Cabaret Crusades II: The Path to Cairo
2012
HD video, colour, sound, English Subtitles
60 mins
Wael Shawky
Cabaret Crusades II: The Path to Cairo
2012
HD video, colour, sound, English Subtitles
60 mins
Wael Shawky
Telematch shelter, 2008
Video, colour, sound SD 4:3 NTSC 12 minutes 37 seconds
Wael Shawky
Al Aqsa Park, 2006
2006
Video animation, b&w, sound, 10 minutes
Wael Shawky
The Cave (Hamburg)
2005
Video, colour, sound, subtitles, 4:3, 13 minutes 37 seconds
Museum Exhibitions
Exhibitions
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Lisson Gallery Artists in Venice
April – November 2024
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Selected Works in Seoul
2 September – 10 September 2023
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Wael Shawky: Isles of the Blessed
10 November 2022 – 13 January 2023
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Wael Shawky
30 September – 17 October 2021
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Wael Shawky: Cabaret Crusades Drawings
30 September – 17 October 2021
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Wael Shawky: The Gulf Project Camp
13 September – 16 October 2019
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Wael Shawky
9 November 2016 – 13 January 2017
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Wael Shawky: Dictums
31 January – 8 March 2014