Video

“Dante’s Dream”

By Samo Shalaby

“The mind is a universe and can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.” - John Milton

This self-portrait project was created during my residency in the Cayman Islands. In collaboration with my talented best friend Zeina Aref, we brought this vision to life. Inspired by Dante Alighieri’s epic poem “The Divine Comedy”, This project embarks into Dante’s journey through Paradise, Purgatory, and Inferno. Traveling through all the realms just to find himself in the end. An allegory exemplifying the voyage of life. In this dreamlike interpretation, I immerse myself in the characters of Dante, Virgil, Saint Lucy, Lucifer, and Cato. Within the surreal landscapes of a dream world, Dante encounters these characters through sleeping and waking, transcending the boundaries of reality and fiction. Shot in diverse locations around Grand Cayman, I wanted to mirror the emotional landscapes of these personas through costume. A fragmented fever dream inspired by the allegorical nature of Dante’s Tale.

It is a tribute to the power of imagination, symbolism, craft, and a true testament to magic.

The Dante cape was created by the amazing Yasmine Hawa.

Photography Shot on Medium format 120 Film in collaboration with Zeina Aref.

Video shot in collaboration with Zeina Aref.

Music: Ravel: Daphnis & Chloé Suite No. 2

All accessories and other garments were crafted by Zeina and myself throughout the residency.

Creating with Zeina is always a pleasure and a gift, very lucky to have you.

Thank you Palm Heights GC for having us, it was a pleasure coming to create these works in such an enchanting place.

“Beyond Emerging Artists and Curator Morad Montazami”

By Samo Shalaby

A panel discussion about our show for Abu Dhabi Art’s “Beyond Emerging Artists” where I discuss “What Lies Beneath”.

Moderator: Morad Montazami, Director of Zamân Books & Curating and Beyond Emerging Artists Curator (France) Speakers: Latifa Saeed, Artist (UAE), Almaha Jaralla, Artist (UAE) and Samo Shalaby, Artist (Palestine/ Egypt)