Artist
Rooted in research and inquiry, Wael Shawky’s work examines national, religious and artistic identity through film, performance and storytelling.
Whether instructing Bedouin children to re-enact the construction of an airport runway in the desert or organizing a heavy metal concert in a remote Egyptian village, Shawky reframes contemporary culture through the lens of historical tradition and vice versa. Mixing truth and fiction, childlike wonder and spiritual doctrine, he has staged epic recreations of medieval clashes between Muslims and Christians in his “Cabaret Crusades” trilogy of puppet and marionette – entitled “The Horror Show Files” (2010), “The Path to Cairo” (2012) and “The Secrets of Karbala” (2015). 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. For the Egyptian Pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennale, Shawky presented “Drama 1882” (2024), a filmed musical directed, choreographed and composed by the artist, centered on Egypt’s nationalist Urabi revolution against imperial influence (1879–1882).
In addition to his artistic practice, Shawky founded the education space MASS Alexandria in 2010. He currently serves as artistic director for the inaugural edition of Art Basel Qatar. He is also artistic director of Fire Station, where he launched the Arts Intensive Study Program (AISP), a transformative initiative designed to foster critical thinking, hands-on research, and professional development for emerging Qatari and international artists.
Born in Alexandria in 1971, where he continues to live and work, Shawky has held solo exhibitions at LUMA Arles, France (2025); Talbot Rice Gallery, Edinburgh (2025); Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, the Netherlands (2025); Barakat Contemporary, Seoul (2025); MOCA, Los Angeles (2025); Daegu Art Museum, South Korea (2024); Pompeii Archaeological Park, Italy (2023); M Leuven, Belgium (2022); Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Texas (2021); Louvre Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (2020) ARoS Aarhus Kunstmuseum, Denmark (2018); MOCA Yinchuan, China (2017); Castello di Rivoli, Italy (2016); Fondazione Merz, Turin and Zurich (2016); Kunsthaus Bregenz, Austria (2016); Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha (2015); MoMA PS1, New York (2015); K20 Düsseldorf (2014–2015); Serpentine Galleries, London (2013–2014); KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin (2012); Nottingham Contemporary, England (2011); Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota (2011); Delfina Foundation, London (2011); and Cittadellarte – Fondazione Pistoletto, Italy (2010).
He represented Egypt at the 60th Venice Biennale (2024) and participated in the 14th Istanbul Biennial (2015); the 11th Sharjah Biennial, UAE (2013); Documenta 13, Kassel (2012); the 9th Gwangju Biennial, South Korea (2012); the 7th SITE Santa Fe Biennial, New Mexico (2008); the 9th Istanbul Biennial (2005); and the 50th Venice Biennale (2003).
Shawky’s awards include the inaugural Mario Merz Prize (2015), the Award for Filmic Oeuvre created by Louis Vuitton and Kino der Kunst (2013), Abraaj Capital Art Prize (2012), Schering Stiftung Award for Artistic Research (2011) and Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Award (2005).
