CABARET CRUSADES: THE HORROR SHOW FILE

Egyptian artist Wael Shawky has gained considerable international recognition for his installations, videos, photographs and performances exploring religion, politics and the effects of cultural globalisation. Cabaret Crusades is a cycle of films in which he reexamines the history of the crusades by having the events re-enacted by puppets unleashed on cardboard battlefields. Inspired by Amin Maalouf’s book The Crusades Through Arab Eyes, Shawky questions the socioeconomic motivations behind these “holy wars” which left an indelible impression on the Arab world and its relationship with the West. Christians, Muslims, kings, caliphs, popes, martyrs and saints: all of them are puppets, but no one knows who is pulling the strings… A short filmed drama with a surreal atmosphere combining drama and lyricism, Cabaret Crusades invites us to navigate through the territories of truth, myth and cliché. It is a history lesson which is as sensitive as it is penetrating.

As a consequence of the political upheavals in Egypt, Wael Shawky was not able to finish the second part of his film series in time for the premiere at the Kunstenfestivaldesarts 011. So only the first part will be shown this year: Cabaret Crusades: The Horror Show File. On the occasion of his attendance at the Kunstenfestivaldesarts, a conversation with Wael Shawky has been arranged for 12 May. It will be about his work and about the political developments in Egypt and the Arab world, and the impact these events have on culture and society. The conversation will take place at Cinema Arenberg after the film screening.