Wael Shawky's Dual Exhibition in Turin and Rivoli

Egyptian artist Wael Shawky (Alexandria, 1971) presents two concurrent exhibitions in Turin and Rivoli, Italy, running until February 5, 2017. At Fondazione Merz, the show "Al Araba Al Madfuna"—developed after Shawky won the first Mario Merz Prize, awarded by a jury including Manuel Borja-Villel, Massimiliano Gioni, Beatrice Merz, and Lawrence Weiner—features a sand-covered floor and the complete trilogy of films shown for the first time. Curated by Abdellah Karroum, the exhibition explores cinematic, historical, and literary narratives that blend tradition, sociology, and mythology. The films were shot in the village of Al Araba Al Madfuna near the Osirion excavations at the Temple of Seti I, with children dressed as adults in traditional costumes. At Castello di Rivoli, a retrospective curated by Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev and Marcella Beccaria in the Manica Lunga presents Shawky's "Cabaret Crusades" video installation, which uses marionettes to examine the Crusades from an Arab perspective. The exhibition includes carved wooden panels by Venetian artisans, forming a new trilogy that offers a non-European viewpoint on historical conflicts.