Sharif Waked at Kunsthaus Baselland: A First Swiss Exhibition of Political and Cultural Irony
Visitors exploring contemporary art exhibitions in Basel can experience the first comprehensive presentation in Switzerland dedicated to the work of Nazareth- and Santa Barbara-based artist Sharif Waked at Kunsthaus Baselland. Running through November 15, 2020, the showcase gathers an array of multimedia projects, installations, and videos that interrogate the intersections of politics, history, imagery, and textual translation.
Exploring Sharif Waked’s Artistic Framework in Basel
Known for deploying paradox, appropriation, and absurdity, Waked’s practice reflects on the act of viewing and producing art within the digital age. The exhibition layout across the galleries weaves historical echoes with contemporary commentary. In the opening rooms, pieces like Just A Moment No. 4 (Away From You) (2011) reframe archival performance through an intimate lens, focusing on the rhythmic foot-stamping of iconic Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum. This sits in conceptual dialogue with MoM – Museum of Mosul (2017), which reframes digital records of cultural heritage destruction as a commercial promotional clip, further expanded in Just A Moment No. 17 (Smiley) (2016) where modern emojis interact with architectural ruin.
Subsequent galleries deepen this exploration through site-specific architectures holding contrasting narratives. Works such as Bath Time (2012)—documenting a donkey receiving a wash after performing as a zebra in the Gaza Zoo—share space with Just A Moment No. 21 (Shit) (2018) and the geometric abstractions of the ongoing "Arabesque" series (2016–). Through these juxtapositions, the display questions long-standing visual traditions, digital deception, and the porous boundaries separating verbal and visual communication. Further contextual insights into the institutional reception can be explored via external reviews such as Nero Editions or Contemporary Art Switzerland.
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