Wael Shawky, Akram Zaatari tell political history through art
Historical incidents in Middle East, North Africa recreated as media art shown at MMCA Gwacheon
History can be hard to recount when it holds sorrow and trauma or multiple interpretations. But recreated as art, such stories can resonate powerfully, sparking diverse questions and interpretations in the viewers, regardless of where they are or what language they speak.
Presented by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, 'MMCA Collection Otherlands II: Wael Shawky, Akram Zaatari' showcases two media works by two leading contemporary artists who explore and reinterpret specific historical events at its Gwacheon museum in Gyeonggi Province.
'Drama 1882' by Egyptian artist Wael Shawky was previously shown at the Venice Biennale 2024. The 48-minute video work addresses the Urabi Revolution, a 19th-century nationalist resistance movement against European control over Egypt following the construction of the Suez Canal.
Shawky wrote, composed and directed the media artwork in the form of an eight-part opera, raising questions such as 'Was the history of the Urabi Revolution, as written primarily from Western perspectives, truly objective?'
Akram Zaatari's 36-minute video work, 'Letter to a Refusing Pilot,' is based on the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon. The Lebanese artist was inspired by a rumor in his hometown of Saida, which turned out to be true according to the artist, that an Israeli pilot had refused an order to bomb a boy's secondary school where Zaatari's father was a principal at the time.
The question 'Why did the Israeli pilot refuse the order?' has remained a central theme in Zaatari's artistic career. In 2012, he published a book about the incident that contains an interview with the pilot.
Drawing inspiration from historical theater, the installation of the works incorporates elements such as stage curtains, lighting and theater seating to evoke the feeling of attending a live opera or film screening.
The state museum acquired 'Drama 1882' last year through a donation by the MMCA Director's Council, a group of CEOs established in 2011 to support the museum's exhibitions and growth in collection, according to the museum.
'MMCA Collection Otherlands II: Wael Shawky, Akram Zaatari' runs through Aug. 17.
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Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Korea Herald
Wael Shawky, Akram Zaatari tell political history through art
Historical incidents in Middle East, North Africa recreated as media art shown at MMCA Gwacheon History can be hard to recount when it holds sorrow and trauma or multiple interpretations. But recreated as art, such stories can resonate powerfully, sparking diverse questions and interpretations in the viewers, regardless of where they are or what language they speak. Presented by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, 'MMCA Collection Otherlands II: Wael Shawky, Akram Zaatari' showcases two media works by two leading contemporary artists who explore and reinterpret specific historical events at its Gwacheon museum in Gyeonggi Province. 'Drama 1882' by Egyptian artist Wael Shawky was previously shown at the Venice Biennale 2024. The 48-minute video work addresses the Urabi Revolution, a 19th-century nationalist resistance movement against European control over Egypt following the construction of the Suez Canal. Shawky wrote, composed and directed the media artwork in the form of an eight-part opera, raising questions such as 'Was the history of the Urabi Revolution, as written primarily from Western perspectives, truly objective?' Akram Zaatari's 36-minute video work, 'Letter to a Refusing Pilot,' is based on the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon. The Lebanese artist was inspired by a rumor in his hometown of Saida, which turned out to be true according to the artist, that an Israeli pilot had refused an order to bomb a boy's secondary school where Zaatari's father was a principal at the time. The question 'Why did the Israeli pilot refuse the order?' has remained a central theme in Zaatari's artistic career. In 2012, he published a book about the incident that contains an interview with the pilot. Drawing inspiration from historical theater, the installation of the works incorporates elements such as stage curtains, lighting and theater seating to evoke the feeling of attending a live opera or film screening. The state museum acquired 'Drama 1882' last year through a donation by the MMCA Director's Council, a group of CEOs established in 2011 to support the museum's exhibitions and growth in collection, according to the museum. 'MMCA Collection Otherlands II: Wael Shawky, Akram Zaatari' runs through Aug. 17.
Korea Herald
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- Korea Herald
iQIYI expands MENA presence with MENA Branch launch and local partnership, elevating Chinese storytelling worldwide
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Korea Herald
30-04-2025
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Embassy of Egypt expands interaction with Korean public through art
Marking 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Egypt and Korea, Ambassador Khaled Abdel Rahman leaves open the embassy's doors and promotes immersive exhibition. Khaled Abdel Rahman, Egypt's ambassador to South Korea, sees a distinguished similarity between the two countries — a huge river that runs through the country, the Nile in Egypt and Han River in Korea. 'We say the river Nile is the gift to Egypt, and here you also have the Han river. That was why there was civilization in Korea and Egypt,' the ambassador said during the interview on Wednesday at Walkerhill Hotel & Resort. 'Water means you can have agriculture, and when you have agriculture, you have human settlement, then you have a community, develop education and start to develop culture.' The ancient history of Egypt is brought back to life through 'Egyptian Pharaohs, From Cheops to Ramesses II' at Walkerhill Hotel & Resort. The digital immersive exhibition encompasses 10 themes that include the stories of the Nile, pharaohs, myths, pyramids and temples. 'I think it brings Egyptian civilization in a digital format to the Korean viewers, which is very unique for Korea as (the country is) very advanced in this field of technology. I think it will give Korean companies many suggestions on how civilizations can be brought to life again through digital art,' Rahman said. The exhibition coincides with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. At the entrance to the exhibition is the embassy's collection, brought from Egypt's Ministry of culture. The replicas of 'The Great Temple of Abu Simbel,' a monumental temple complex built by pharaoh Ramesses II to assert his divine power, and two statues "Horus Depicted as a Hawk" are part of the collection on display. 'Horus was an interesting creature flying in the sky, and the king believed that it was his protector. You know, like the aircraft. That is how this myth developed the Horus, and it is actually the logo of the Egypt Air,' he said. Marking the 30th anniversary, the Egyptian Embassy in Seoul has opened its doors to the public, the ambassador said, to facilitate cultural interaction with people here to promote the country's culture. 'This is a big role for embassies to be among the public, not just for official functions, not just for the national holiday reception,' he said. 'We are happy to host Korean children from schools and give them some lectures and they can look around the Embassy and its collection. Anybody who wants to come and visit, just contact the embassy.' The ambassador expects the immersive exhibition, which has a running time of 36 minutes, to draw a large audience as it is not only visually beautiful but educational. He also expressed gratitude to Tmonet, the Korean operator of the Theatre des Lumieres, as partner of French company Culturespaces, and the Embassy of France for making the exhibition possible in Seoul. The exhibition will run until Oct.31. Lastly the ambassador expressed his wish for 'Korean universities to open a department for Egyptology. This can open an opportunity for a lot of Koreans, for job opportunities with digital technology in Korea."
