Wael Shawky: I Am Hymns of the New Temples

Wael Shawky’s video work I Am Hymns of the New Temples (2023) delves into humanity’s beginnings and the construction of national narratives. Set among the ruins of Pompeii, actors wearing handmade ceramic and papier-mâché masks move through the remnants of the city, situated at the ancient crossroads of exchange between Egyptian, Greek, and Roman cultures. The work reinterprets shared creation myths and theatrical traditions to explore our need to make sense of the world through storytelling, and the way these narratives are adapted and reshaped for national purposes.