Samo Shalaby
Samo Shalaby is an Egyptian Palestinian fine artist based between Dubai and London. Growing up in Cairo and Dubai before pursuing his artistic education at Central Saint Martins, Samo was exposed to a myriad of artistic expressions, styles, and forms of art-making that have shaped his unique creative oeuvre.
Exploring fields such as stage design, costume design, and jewelry, Samo began integrating strands of theatrical essence into his work, infused with a distinct dramatic flair. His artistic explorations traverse the styles of antiquity, surrealism, and the grotesque, filtered through his own contemporary and personal lens. His work embodies an inherent fascination with blurring the boundaries between identity, culture, and couture, often through dichotomous narratives that lurk behind beautiful facades.
Combining a range of aesthetics and motifs from various decades, Samo crafts new worlds that are familiar yet so far away. Whether on camera or canvas, symbolism, and storytelling are crucial elements for conjuring Samo's vision into existence.
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NAUSEA
15 - 20 Apr 2025Jean-Paul Sartre's first novel Nausea (Penguin Press, 1938) captures something of today, something that Angel, Hayfa, HazzA, Samo, and Sara image out, too: an unease with the current moment; a...Read more -
My Existence, That Absurd Thing
Curated by Talal AL Najjar 20 - 28 Nov 2024EXHIBITION CATALOGUERead more
Selected exhibitions:
2025
Tabari Artspace “The Power Of Intention” – Milan, Italy – Curated by Bebe Leone
2024
Thaer Selects x Mamar Lab “My Existence, That Absurd Thing” – Abu Dhabi, UAE – Curated by Talal Al Najjar
Limbo Gallery “Resistance - Art For A Free Palestine” – Margate, UK – Curated by Vanessa Brier and Lydia Petit
Lee & Bae Gallery “Observatory Mansions” solo show – Busan, Korea – Curated by Lee & Bae
Kiaf – Seoul, Korea – Curated by Lee and Bae
Durbar Hall “Notes from Another Shore” – Kochi, India – Curated by Rizq Art Initiative
Soho Revue “The Golden Ratio” – London, UK – Curated by Charlie Siddick
Marignana Arte “What Lies Beneath” – Venice, Italy – Curated by Dyala Nusseibeh
Abu Dhabi Art “Beyond Emerging Artists” – Abu Dhabi, UAE – Curated by Morad Montazami
2022
Daniel Benjamin Gallery – London, UK – “Aphrodite to Mars” – Curated by Nina de Maria
Davies Gilder Gallery – Guildford, UK – “Scream of The Butterfly” – Curated by Lauren Thompson
2021
Spilled Milk Gallery – Amman, Jordan – “Ahlam” – Curated by Dijit
Existence is Elsewhere – London, UK – Surrealism Exhibition by the Cake Room Project – Curated by Nathan Baumber
Identity Speaks – New York, USA – The Buffalo Project “Identity Speaks” – Curated by Ollie Oliver and Joe Golden
Central Saint Martins Graduate Showcase – London, UK
2019
Spine Mag Exhibition – London, UK – Issue 1 “Exodus” Exhibition
Residencies:
Tabari Artspace x La Serena: June 21 - July 2 2024 - Forte Dei Marmi, Italy Something Curated x Palm Heights: June 7 - June 26 2023 - Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands