Moataz Nasr

The self-taught renowned artist, Moataz Nasr took the decision to follow his passion and abandon his initial career path in Economics. It started with a studio in Old Cairo after moving from his hometown, Alexandria. Nasr gained local recognition marked by many awards before breaking into the International art scene in 2001, notably winning the Grand Prix at the 8th International Cairo Biennial. Since then, he has participated in large international exhibitions like the Venice, Seoul, Sao Paulo, and Bogota Biennials. Today he is considered one of the greatest representatives of pan-Arab contemporary art.

Showing complex cultural processes currently underway in the Islamic world, his work surpasses idiosyncrasies and geographical limits and voices the worries and torments of the African continent. The feeling of belonging to a specific geopolitical and cultural context and the need to maintain a link with his homeland are key elements of the artist's life and work. Moataz Nasr believes that art and life are inseparable. Moataz Nasr is considered one of the most important representatives of pan-Arab contemporary art. Together with artists of his generation, he founded Townhouse in Cairo in 1998, the first independent exhibition space in the country’s history. The victory of the Grand Prize of the 8th Cairo International Biennale in 2001 established him as an international artist. Group shows include “The See Is My Land”, curated by Francesco Bonomi and Emanuela Mazzonis (MAXXI, Rome, 2013); "Arab Contemporary Architecture, Culture, and Identity" (Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebæk, 2014); “Metropolis. Afriques Capitales”, curated by Simon Njami (La Villette, Paris, 2017); “Senses of Time: Video and Filmbased Arts of Africa” (LACMA and The Smithsonian National Museum of African Arts, Washington, 2017); Yinchuan Biennale, curated by Marco Scotini (Yinchuan, 2018), International Contemporary Art Exhibition, curated by Mazdak Faiznia (Yerevan, 2018). In 2017, he was selected to represent Egypt during the 57th Venice Biennale. The work presented in the Egyptian Pavilion was an immersive installation showing the original film "The Mountain". In 2018, Nasr has been invited to take part in "Abu Dhabi Art 2018 Beyond" and create a site-specific work in the historic sites in Al Ain. In 2019 he was invited to take part in the Havana Biennal and participated in Fiac Hors Les Murs with the installation of the work Sun Boat at Les Tuileries. Among the most recent solo shows are, in 2019 "The Liminal Space", in Castel del Monte, Andria, curated by Achille Bonito Oliva, and "Paradise Lost" in Galleria Continua, San Gimignano, curated by Simon Njami. In 2021, Moataz Nars won the "AVIFF-Art Film Festival" Cannes Award with the original film "The Mountain." In 2023, he participated with an imponent work at the inaugural edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale: Awwal Bait.