Wael Shawky in Conversation and Screening of I Am Hymns of the New Temples
Lecture
In-PersonHarvard Art Museums, Menschel Hall, Lower Level
32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA , Enter at Broadway for evening programs
Free admission, but seating is limited and registration is encouraged. Register here.
Join multidisciplinary artist Wael Shawky for a screening of his film I Am Hymns of the New Temples, a theatrical play that explores the persistence of Greek mythology in cultures around the Mediterranean. Following the film, Shawky will be in conversation with Harvard professor Giuliana Bruno, who recently published a monograph on this work.
Wael Shawky was born in Alexandria, Egypt, and works between Egypt, Philadelphia, and Qatar. His practice focuses on the movement of culture, identity, and feelings of national belonging through narratives of history, literature, mythology, and art. He represented Egypt at the 2024 Venice Biennial.
About the film:
I am Hymns of the New Temples انا تراتيل المعابد الجديدة, 2023 (Classical Arabic with English subtitles; 55 min.)
The film I Am Hymns of the New Temples – انا تراتيل المعابد الجديدة was commissioned by the Archaeological Park of Pompeii as part of the Pompeii Commitment. Archaeological Matters program. The work is the winner of the public notice PAC2020–Piano per l’Arte Contemporanea 2020, promoted by the Italian Directorate-General for Contemporary Creativity of the Ministry of Culture.
Speakers:
Wael Shawky, Artist
Giuliana Bruno, Emmet Blakeney Gleason Research Professor of Visual and Environmental Studies, Harvard University
Mitra Abbaspour, Houghton Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Division of Modern and Contemporary Art, Harvard Art Museums
The lecture will take place in Menschel Hall, Lower Level. Doors will open for seating at 5:30pm from the Broadway entrance.
This lecture will be recorded and made available for online viewing; check back shortly after the event for the link to view.
Limited complimentary parking is available in the Broadway Garage, 7 Felton Street, Cambridge.
The Harvard Art Museums offer free admission every day, Tuesday through Sunday. Please see the museum visit page to learn about our general policies for visiting the museums.
Support for this program is provided by the Nancy Stephenson Nichols Memorial Fund at the Harvard Art Museums. Reflecting the personal and professional pursuits of the late Nancy Stephenson Nichols (Harvard A.M. ’77, Ph.D. ’80), this annual lecture provides a forum for international leaders in the arts, culture, and museums to share their expertise and ideas on topics of importance in the worlds in which they work.
In addition, modern and contemporary art programs at the Harvard Art Museums are made possible in part by generous support from the Emily Rauh Pulitzer and Joseph Pulitzer, Jr., Fund for Modern and Contemporary Art.
The Harvard Art Museums are committed to accessibility for all visitors. For anyone requiring accessibility accommodations for our programs, please contact us at am_register@harvard.edu at least 48 hours in advance. Please include the name and date of the program in the subject line of your email.