Youssef Nabil's 'I Saved My Belly Dancer' Debuts at LACMA
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) presents the first public screening of Youssef Nabil's film 'I Saved My Belly Dancer' since its acquisition in 2025. The 2015 film marks its 10th anniversary. Tahar Rahim plays Nabil's alter ego, and Salma Hayek stars as the belly dancer. Nabil describes the dancer as a memory of Cairo and belly dancing as a unique Egyptian art form. Curated by Linda Komaroff, the installation recreates a mid-20th-century movie theater with retro seats, a hand-colored portrait by Van Leo, vintage posters, and hand-painted photographs. The exhibition continues LACMA's tradition of integrating film and popular culture with art, following acquisitions of time-based media by Nam June Paik, Matthew Barney, Bill Viola, and others.
Key facts
- First public presentation of Youssef Nabil's film 'I Saved My Belly Dancer' since LACMA acquired it in 2025.
- Film was made in 2015 and celebrates its 10th anniversary.
- Tahar Rahim plays the artist's alter ego; Salma Hayek stars as the belly dancer.
- Nabil views belly dancing as a unique Egyptian art form and aims to preserve its memory.
- Exhibition curated by Linda Komaroff, Curator and Head of Art of the Middle East at LACMA.
- Installation evokes a mid-20th-century movie theater with retro seats and vintage posters.
- Includes a hand-colored portrait by Van Leo and hand-painted photographs by Nabil.
- LACMA has collected time-based media for 30 years, including works by Nam June Paik, Matthew Barney, and Bill Viola.
Entities
Artists
- Youssef Nabil
- Tahar Rahim
- Salma Hayek
- Van Leo
- Levon Alexander Boyadjian
- Nam June Paik
- Matthew Barney
- Bill Viola
- Mariko Mori
- Tacita Dean
- Stan Douglas
- Pierre Huyghe
- Christian Marclay
- Steve McQueen
- Bruce Nauman
- Diana Thater
Institutions
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
Locations
- Los Angeles
- United States
- Cairo
- Egypt