Wael Shawky (1971) was born in Alexandria, where he lives and works. Shawky is one of the most celebrated artists in the Middle East, gaining international recognition for his works. Based on long periods of research and investigation, Wael Shawky’s work addresses the notions of national, religious and artistic identity through video, performance and storytelling. Shawky frames contemporary culture through the lens of historical tradition and vice versa. Blending truth and fiction, childlike wonder and spiritual doctrine, Shawky staged epic reenactments of medieval Muslim-Christian clashes in his puppet and marionette trilogy.

Recent solo exhibitions: The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Fort Worth, TX, USA (2021), The Louvre Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (2020), The Polygon, Vancouver, Canada (2020); ARoS, Aarhus Kunstmuseum, Aarhus, Denmark (2018); Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Yinchaun, China (2017); Rivoli Castle, Turin, Italy (2016); Merz Foundation, Turin, Italy (2016); Kunsthaus Bregenz, Austria (2016); Merz Foundation, 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 – Pistoletto Foundation, Biella, Italy (2010).

He participated in the Lahore Biennial, Lahore, Pakistan (2020); Desert X, Al Ula, Saudi Arabia (2020); 14th Istanbul Biennial, Turkey (2015); the 11th Sharjah Biennial, United Arab Emirates (2013); Documenta 13, Kassel, Germany (2012); the 9th Biennial of Gwangju, South Korea (2012); SITE Biennial of Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA (2008); the 9th Istanbul Biennial, Turkey (2005); and the 50th Venice Biennale, Italy (2003). Recent awards include the inaugural Mario Merz Award (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 a Lower Manhattan Cultural Council award, in 2005. In 2010 Shawky founded the educational space MASS Alessandria.