'Otherlands II' featuring Wael Shawky at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea

2 June 2025

Until 17 August, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) presents 'Otherlands II: Wael Shawky, Akram Zaatari'. It centers on works by Wael Shawky and Akram Zaatari, each of whom explores and reinterprets a specific historical event. The exhibition is expected to provide an opportunity to reflect on how contemporary artists engage with historical subjects and how their approaches are expressed in new media art.

Egyptian artist Wael Shawky reimagines the history and mythology of the Middle East from a contemporary perspective. Drama 1882 (2024), which is featured in this exhibition, revisits the ‘Urabi Revolution—a pivotal moment in modern Egyptian history. The past and present are interwoven in the works of Shawky and Zaatari to form layered temporal and spatial landscapes where reality and fiction converge to relate compelling stories. Their theatrical compositions and immersive, stage-like installations invite viewers to experience these alternative spaces or realms as if watching a play or a film. This exhibition refers to these realms where different times, spaces, and distinctive narratives unfold in the works of Shawky and Zaatari as “otherlands.”

Drama 1882 by Wael Shawky will be screened at 30 minutes past every hour.

Find out more via MMCA.

Image: Wael Shawky, Drama 1882, 2024, 4k video, sound, color, VFX, Arabic, © Wael Shawky, Courtesy of Sfeir-Semler Gallery, Lisson Gallery, Lia Rumma, and Barakat Contemporary