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Biography / Aalam Wassef
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
Aalam Wassef was born in Cairo, Egypt in 1970 and lived in
France for over 20 years where he graduated from Fine Arts before
engaging in his career asan artist and an independent
publisher.
His work involves a variety of media and forms of expression,
according totime, place and purpose: animation, installation,
photography, sculpture,music, songs, drawings, paintings,
happenings and video.
From 2006 to 2011 he worked under several identities and
signatures, due tothe fact that a large part of his work had
political implications in Egypt. OnFebruary 11th 2011 he “came
out”, after the fall of Hosni Mubarak in Egypt.
Away from the violent topics addressed in his anonymous work,
his otherpieces revolve around visual and poetic representations of
time, memory andthe fact of living.
Selected exhibitions / 2007 - 2010OK Museum for Contemporary Art
(Linz, Austria). Parcours West II (LaGénérale en Manufacture group
show, Paris) , Biennale d’Art Contemporain(residency, Dieppe),
Galerie Marie Watteau (solo exhibition, Paris), 01SJFestival – “Art
on the edge” (opening performance, San José, USA),
FestivalVidéoformes (video, Montpellier), L’Échangeur (solo
exhibition, Paris),Parcours West III (La Générale en manufacture,
group show, Paris), Pôle M(group show, Paris), Sabotage (group
show, La Comète, Paris), We will beheroes (solo exhibition, Cairo,
000-001), Galerie Conradi (with Philip Gaisser).
Upcoming exhibition / 2011Cracow Museum of Contemporary Art
(upcoming group show).
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Black Wedding1 still, 11 blow ups
2006Analog photography, digital blow-upsEpson micro-bubble
inkjet print on rag paper70 x 70 cm
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
AboutParis,2006? New Orleans 1930?The guests of a baptist
weddingare standing on the street,singing, parading, glowing. The
photographs I took homewere utterly disappointing.No vibration, no
singing, nodetails. The rough and noisyblow-ups I made of one
singleshot, helped restore the stuffand details this moment wasmade
of.
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eBay Project8 stolen photographs, enlarged and fixed on tiles -
Site specific installation
2006Black bra in good conditionInkjet prints30 x 45 cm
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
AboutAs I browsed eBay, I was takenaback by the contrast
betweenpublicity and privacy. Although the context of eBay was
strictlycommercial and practical, itseemed there was another
ongoingnarrative, the same narrative onecan find in social networks
wherepeople attempt to meet other people or simply tell the world
thatthey exist.The woman in this picture is sellingher bra for $5
dollars. She stands inher bathroom, in front of the mirror. Note
that she needs toreplace her roll of toilet paper.
LocationLa Générale en Manufacture, Paris.
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We Will be Heroes 1/3Indoor and outdoor hybrid piece - Location
: Sayyeda Zeinab neighbourhood, Cairo, Egypt.
2009MuralBlack marker and acrylic. Rhinestone suspension.800 x
350 cm
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
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We Will be Heroes 2/3Indoor and outdoor hybrid piece - Location
: Sayyeda Zeinab neighbourhood, Cairo, Egypt.
2009Sheets, rhinestone, wall painting, installation of
objectsVariable sizes
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
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We Will be Heroes 3/3Indoor and outdoor hybrid piece - Location
: Sayyeda Zeinab neighbourhood, Cairo, Egypt.
2009Outdoor video projection in a wasteland400 x 300 cm
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
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Not in a million yearsSite specific installation - Location :
Sayyeda Zeinab neighbourhood, charcoal street shop - Cairo,
Egypt.
2010Installation50 x 500 cm
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
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Time Stamp CollectionWhat came out of a 10 year old box
2010Analog photography, digital scan16 x 12 cm
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
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Time Stamp CollectionBurning Penelope
2006-2010Digital photography and drawing70 x 70 cm
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
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Time Stamp CollectionEve, Alice and a laptop
2002-2010Drawing on photo paper, scanned and printed16 x 24
cm
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
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Time Stamp CollectionMy
2010Digital photograpphyEpson micro-bubble inkjet print on rag
paper30 x 40 cm
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
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Time Stamp CollectionLes deux amis
1995-2010Scanned polaroidsEpson micro-bubble inkjet print on rag
paper70 x 70 cm
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
AboutParis,2006? New Orleans 1930?The guests of a baptist
weddingare standing on the street,singing, parading, glowing. The
photographs I took homewere utterly disappointing.No vibration, no
singing, nodetails. The rough and noisyblow-ups I made of one
singleshot, helped rethis moment was made of.
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Time Stamp CollectionKitchen table
2003-2010Scanned analog photographEpson micro-bubble inkjet
print on rag paper30 x 40 cm
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
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Time Stamp Collection30 slides in a jewel box
1997-2010Slides, jewel boxCropped digital photograph30 x 30
cm
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
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Time Stamp CollectionButterfly
2010Melted wax on ice25 x 30 x 20 cm
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
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Time Stamp CollectionCells or maybe planets
2010China ink on glass6 x 6 cm
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
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Time Stamp CollectionDefinitely cells, not planets
2010Reversed digital photographsChina ink on glass6 x 6 cm
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
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Kindness4 acryclic paintings on plexiglas, d’après
photographie
2010White acryclic and china inkPlexiglas150 x 300 cm
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
Left : Ayatollah KhomeinyRight : Adolf Hitler
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Obamasite specific installation
2008Stainless steel, laser cuts150 x 300 cm
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
AboutPortrait of Barack Obamadisplayed in November 2008, on US
election results. This por-trait was shown for 30 days in avespa
repair shop, at the veryheart of a poor neighbourhoodin Cairo.
Visitors looking at Obama.
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When I die, I’ll miss Coca Cola - Picturing what I’ll
forgetvideos
2008Video. 2’30” and 6’640 x 480 pixels
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
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Time Stamp CollectionRow it down the stream
2010Video, 4’30”720 x 576 pixels
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
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Time Stamp Collectionpainting
2010Gouache on canvas220 x 435 cm
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
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Time Stamp Collectionpolaroid installation
2010Polaroid prints13 x 166 cm
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
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Time Stamp Collection.eivom hcaep ehT
2010Video installation, loopEpson micro-bubble inkjet print on
rag paper90 x 120 x 40 cm
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
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Time Stamp Collection3 ink paintings on glass
2010China ink on glass100 x 100 cm
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
General view of Galerie Conradi (Hamburg), featuring an
installation by Philip Gaisser.
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Egyptian Postcards 1, 2, 3 and 4online videos
200615” online videos850,000 views on Youtube640 x 480
pixels
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
AboutThese four videos were the firstworks I released in 2007
underthe pseudonym “Ahmad Sherif”.The goal I pursued till 2011
wasto expose what Egypt really was,so we could put an end to
blindclichés. It has finally appeared toeveryone that Egypt was
apolice state ruled by a ruthlessdictator and a
corruptentourage.
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The Tyrant’s Capeonline installation and video performance
2007Plastic sheet, camera stand, chinese sticks, paper, masking
tape, fluo marker150 x 200 cm
2007Online video performance30”, 35,000 views on Youtube640 x
480 pixels
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
AboutCairo, May 2007, it’s PresidentHosni Mubarak’s 80th
birthday. For the second time, I invite theEgyptian blogosphere to
celebrate the tyrant’s anniversary. The piece on the left is an
accessory I used in a video that was widely disseminated on the
Internet and in the press.I further put the Tyrant’s cape on sale
on eBay, for 80 millionEgyptian pounds, which corresponded to the
size of theEgyptian population at that time.
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Blogger in the Palace - In Bed with Hosnionline drawings
2007Ink drawings on paperScanned and inkjet printed15 x 12 cm
and 16 x 13 cm
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
AboutFantasy. A blogger runs up thestairs of the presidential
palaceand enters a room where the dictator and his wife are
asleep.
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Hosni Mubarak for kidsonline installation
2006Toy alphabetPlastic30 x 30 cm
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
AboutThe word written in Arabicsays: “corruption”.
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Dictatorships for dummiesonline video, posters and stickers
2007Video with arabic voice over, 1’06”Inkjet prints,
stickersVariable formats
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
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Free Women, so whatonline animation
2007Video, 34”Animated ink drawings65,000 views on Youtube640 x
480 pixels
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
AboutThis short animation addressesfreedom of faith, way of
life,dress and advocates equalitybetween women and men.
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Death in a police stationonline video and song
2007Online video, 3’03”85,000 views on YoutubeVideo performance
and song640 x 480 pixels
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
AboutThis video and song address torture in Egyptianpolice
stations.The song was alsoreleased as a free MP3file.
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Sankyooonline video and song
Online video, 1’24”113,000 views on YoutubeVideo performance and
song640 x 480 pixels
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
AboutThis video addresses the decayand poverty of
Egyptiansociety. It says “Sankyoo” to thepresident (thank you).The
song was also releasedas an MP3 file.
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Made in Mubarakonline video
Onine Video, 32”15,000 views on Youtube640 x 480 pixels
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
AboutThis video displays a keyboard“made in Mubarak”. Each
keyyou press plays one of hisfavorite words:
corruption,humiliation, theft, torture.
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Actor of the yearonline video
200751” online video230,000 views on Youtube640 x 480 pixels
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
AboutThis video reached a very highrecord of views in a very
shorttime. It was released todenounce a corrupt judgementthat was
issued by the Egyptianjudiciary.A man had been arrested, rapedand
torture in a police station.He happened to be filmed whileall this
occured, and a cell phonevideo was released on theInternet. For
once, there wasvisual proof that could be usedin a court of law.The
judge’s verdict was that thevictim was acting and that thevideo was
a fabrication.Heavy support campaignsoccured at that time and, a
yearlater, the victim won his caseand for the very first time,
apoliceman was sentenced to jail.This video is an audio and
videomontage mimicking the Oscarawards in which the victimreceives
the “Actor of the year”award. The last screen is a message to
President Mubarakin 5 languages.
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Documentary
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
Available at : http://www.youtube.com/aalamwassef -
documentation on my work as “Ahmad Sherif”
2008Documentation presented at OK Museum of Contemporary Art,
Linz (Austria)Ars Electronica AwardHonorary mention for the Hybrid
Arts Category
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Links
Aalam Wassef - Selected Works 1995-2011 - Installations,
photography, sound pieces, online performances, hybrid pieces
http://www.soundcloud.com/aalamwassef -
songshttp://www.youtube.com/aalamwassef -
videoshttp://ahmadsherif.wordpress.com - videos, songs,
happeningshttp://www.youtube.com/ahmadsherif - videos,
songshttp://crisdegypte.libe.blogs.fr - articles, songs and
videos