Egyptian Artist Wael Shawky Stages Exhibitions in Arles & Edinburgh

Egyptian artist Wael Shawky is currently the subject of two large-scale exhibitions in Arles, France, and Edinburgh, Scotland, where new and existing works are being presented across film, sculpture, and installation.

In Arles, the exhibition is housed inside a 5,000-square-metre former ironworks. At its centre is a constructed version of Mount Vesuvius, positioned within a theatrical indoor landscape. A film that blends Greek and Egyptian origin myths is screened at the end of an indoor street, bordered by kiosks filled with sculptural works in clay, bronze, and glass, including masks, jars, and animal forms.

At Talbot Rice Gallery in Edinburgh, Shawky is showing 'The Secrets of Karbala' (2015), the third and final film in his 'Cabaret Crusades' trilogy. The two-hour film portrays the Crusades from the 12th to 13th centuries using glass marionettes produced by Murano artisans. The production involved a team of 300 and draws on Arabic historical texts to narrate the events from a different geographical lens.

The use of glass puppets, chosen for their fragility, removes the need for human performance and emphasizes the sculptural qualities of the work. Both exhibitions feature a combination of historical reference, mythological narrative, and stylised production, with the Arles presentation incorporating newly commissioned elements.