Wael Shawky
Drama 1882
Exhibition — Jul 11 until Oct 26, 2025
With Drama 1882, Egyptian artist Wael Shawky presents a powerful and layered work exploring themes of power, historiography, and representation. Wael Shawky's work often addresses changing societies, focusing on themes of migration, religion, and power—always with a nod to contemporary realities.
The video starts at 10.15 every 45 minutes.
Drama 1882
Drama 1882 centers on a pivotal moment in Egyptian history: the Urabi Revolution (1879–1882), a military-led uprising against foreign interference in Egypt. In 1882, the revolution was suppressed by the British, who subsequently maintained control over Egypt until 1956.
Who decides who is a hero, a freedom fighter—or a terrorist? Drama 1882 poses this critical question, revealing how those in power often shape the narratives that are told. Shawky’s work not only reflects on the past but also speaks directly to the present. By blending fact, speculation, and fiction, he reimagines history through a unique artistic lens—offering an alternative perspective.
Between opera and painting
Shawky composed the music and wrote the libretto himself, with the lyrics performed by professional singers in classical Arabic. The work probes the meaning of the word “drama”—suggesting not only theatre and imagination, but also struggle, loss, and doubt. What is fact, and what is fiction? The images unfold slowly, layered one over another, evoking the effect of a painting coming to life. The result is a mesmerizing visual opera.
About Wael Shawky
Wael Shawky (b. 1971, Alexandria) gained international recognition with Cabaret Crusades (2010–2015), a trilogy that retells the history of the Crusades through marionettes from an Arab perspective. His work often addresses changing societies, focusing on themes of migration, religion, and power—always with a nod to contemporary realities. Shawky has previously exhibited at MoMA (New York), the Louvre (Paris), Tate Modern (London), and MACBA (Barcelona). Drama 1882 was jointly acquired last year by the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Bonnefanten Maastricht, and Centraal Museum Utrecht.
Credits
Joint acquisition by the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, the Bonnefanten Museum, Maastricht, the Centraal Museum, Utrecht, with support of the VriendenLoterij and the Mondriaan Fund.
Image 1 and 2. Wael Shawky, Drama 1882, 2024, 4K video (color, sound), VFX, Arabic with English subtitles. Courtesy the artist and Sfeir-Semler Gallery, Beirut/Hamburg.