Shawky recently led Art Basel’s first Qatar fair, while his films and installations continue to tour major international venues.
Egyptian artist Wael Shawky has been named to the TIME100 Art 2026 list, recognising his growing international profile across exhibitions, film and major art institutions.
Shawky served as the inaugural artistic director of Art Basel’s first fair in Qatar and the Middle East, where the usual gallery-booth format was replaced by curated solo presentations. The event drew around 17,000 visitors.
He also leads Fire Station in Doha, an artist residency run by Qatar Museums.
Shawky’s practice frequently revisits history through Arab perspectives, often using puppetry, performance and film to examine how historical narratives are constructed and retold.
At the 2024 Venice Biennale, he presented ‘Drama 1882’, a video installation and opera centred on the Urabi Revolt in Egypt. The work has since travelled internationally, with presentations in Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Sydney and Paris.
His film ‘I Am Hymns of the New Temples’ is currently on view at M+ in Hong Kong through October. Shot in Pompeii, the work features actors reenacting Mediterranean myths while exploring how ancient stories continue to shape national and cultural identities.
source/content: cairoscene.com (headline edited)
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