'Wael Shawky: I Am Hymns of the New Temples' at LUMA Arles, France

27 June 2025

From 5 July – 2 November 2025, LUMA Arles presents a new exhibition by Wael Shawky. 'I Am Hymns of the New Temples' is a site-specific exhibition that entirely transforms La Grande Halle of LUMA Arles into an immersive experience that blurs the lines between the metaphysical and the real. The site of ancient Pompeii, the legendary city that was buried under ash and volcanic debris for centuries, is at the center of his display. Its outstanding state of conservation offers a fascinating record of the diversity of cultures that shaped its unique identity, at the crossroads of civilizations and trade routes. Intertwining history, stories and contemporary narratives, Shawky reinterprets the ancient Greek myth of creation, through a spectacular choreography of movement, images and sounds, alongside unique sculptural and painterly elements, reflecting on the human need to understand and make sense of the world.

Wael Shawky is a contemporary artist from the Middle East, known for blending fact and fiction across diverse media, including drawing, painting, performance, and installation, focusing on film and video. Through lyrical visuals and extensive inquiry into history and mythology, he reinterprets Middle Eastern historical narratives, challenging fixed Western perspectives.

Find out more via LUMA Arles.

Image: Wael Shawky, I Am Hymns of the New Temples (still image), 2023, 4k video, sound, color, VFX, Arabic, 57 minutes. Courtesy of the artist and the Ministry of Culture—Archaeological Park of Pompeii. © Wael Shawky. Commissioned by the Pompeii Archaeological Park as part of Pompeii Commitment. Archaeological Matters. Winner of the public notice PAC 2020- sponsored by DGCC and MiC.