Wael Shawky’s work, rooted in extensive research and enquiry, examines national, religious, and artistic identity through film, performance, and storytelling. Whether instructing Bedouin children to reenact 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 trilogy of puppet and marionette – titled Cabaret Crusades: 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 - 82).

In addition to his artistic practice, Wael Shawky founded the education space MASS Alexandria in 2010. He currently serves as the Artistic Director for the inaugural edition of Art Basel Qatar. He is also the 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 recent solo exhibitions at:

• LUMA Arles, Arles, France (2025)

• Talbot Rice Gallery, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (2025)

• Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands (2025)

• Barakat Contemporary, Seoul, South Korea

• MOCA, Los Angeles, USA (2025)

• Daegu Art Museum, South Korea (2024)

• Pompeii Archaeological Park, Italy (2023)

• M Leuven Museum, Belgium (2022)

• The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, USA (2021)

• The Louvre Abu Dhabi, UAE (2020)

• ARoS Aarhus Kunstmuseum, Denmark (2018)

• MOCA Yinchuan, China (2017)

• Castello di Rivoli, Italy (2016)

• Fondazione Merz, Turin & Zurich (2016)

• Kunsthaus Bregenz, Austria (2016)

• Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, Qatar (2015)

• MoMA PS1, New York, USA (2015)

• K20 Düsseldorf, Germany (2014–15)

• Serpentine Galleries, London, UK (2013–14)

• KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin, Germany (2012)

• Nottingham Contemporary, UK (2011)

• Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, USA (2011)

• Delfina Foundation, London, UK (2011)

• Cittadellarte – Fondazione Pistoletto, Italy (2010)

He has represented Egypt at La Biennale di Venezia (2024) and participated in:

• 14th Istanbul Biennial, Turkey (2015)

• 11th Sharjah Biennial, UAE (2013)

• Documenta 13, Kassel, Germany (2012)

• 9th Gwangju Biennial, South Korea (2012)

• SITE Santa Fe Biennial, USA (2008)

• 9th Istanbul Biennial, Turkey (2005)

• 50th Venice Biennale, Italy (2003)

Shawky’s awards include:

• The inaugural Mario Merz Prize (2015)

• Award for Filmic Oeuvre created by Louis Vuitton and Kino der Kunst (2013)

• Abraaj Capital Art Prize (2012)

• Schering Foundation Art Award (2011)

• International Commissioning Grant and Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Award (2005)