Amir Youssef
Artist and filmmaker from Egypt, currently living and working between Paris and Alexandria. He earned a bachelor's degree in painting from the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Alexandria in 2015, where he also served as a Teaching Assistant. His experience at the university deepened his commitment to addressing social inequalities in access to educational and cultural resources in Alexandria, a focus that has significantly influenced his approach to both art and pedagogy. He later completed a master’s degree (DNSEP) at the Ecole d'art d'Aix-en-Provence in France, followed by a diplome at Le Fresnoy – Studio national des arts contemporains.
Amir’s work centers on exploring pre-cinema and media archaeology. He investigates the complexities of movement and narrative across various mediums, including sculpture, installation, film, and video. His long-standing fascination with transforming the function and meaning of objects, continues to shape much of his current work. This curiosity has evolved into his ongoing research on "Kinemania," a term he coined to explore the obsession with various forms of visual motion, where he translates his concepts into mobile objects.
As a Kinemania artist, Amir challenges the stillness of history displayed in museum vitrines. His work operates on two main axes: the first addresses the absurdity of war and historical events tied to post-colonialism, while the second delves into religious themes, focusing on the transformation of religious texts into poetic, transcendent forms. These works invite the public to embark on a cosmic journey of reflection and exploration.
He has exhibited his works internationally at prominent venues and festivals, including Visions du Réel in Switzerland, Ars Electronica in Linz, Austria; Fondation Vasarely in Aix-en-Provence, France; Le Fresnoy’s Panorama exhibitions in Tourcoing, France; the BJCM Biennale in Milan, Italy; the Industry Textile Museum in Augsburg, Germany; the Youth Salon at the Opera House in Cairo, Egypt; and the Agenda Exhibition at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria, Egypt. His recent film, Apoléon, premiered at Visions du Réel.
Group Exhibitions
Panorama 26, Le Fresnoy, France, curtated by Marta Gili, 2024
Union Libre, Auch, France, curated by Karine Mathieu and Jean-Francois Sanz, 2024
Panorama 25, Le Fresnoy, France, curtated by Chris Dercon, 2023
Désorientation, Vasarely Museum, Aix-En-Provence, France 2023
MIT museum, Augsburg, Germany, 2021
Arselectronica, Linz, Austria, 2020
Reimagined Narratives, Art d’Egypt, Cairo, 2019
voyage voyage, Ecole supérieure d’art d’Aix-en-Provence, France, 2018.
BJCEM, biennale Milano, Italy, 2016.
Youth- salno 1st, Eltarasina gallery, Alexandria, Egypt 2015.
Youth- salon the 26th edition, Opera House, Egypt, Curated by Khaled Hafez, 2015.
Youth salon at Saad Zaghloul Museum, Egypt, 2015.
Agenda Exhibition, Bibliotheca Alexandrina, 2014.
Youth- salon the 25th, Opera House, Egypt 2014.
MASS-Alexandria Exhibition 3, Alexandria, Egypt, Curated by Petra Sewis, 2013.
MASS-Alexandria Exhibition 2, Alexandria, Egypt, Curated by Daniella Rose King, 2012.
Markaz Elebdaa, Alexandria, Egypt, 2012.
Caricature , Goethe institute, Alexandria, Egypt, 2012.
Bibliotheca Alexandria, Egypte, 2012.
Atelier Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt, 2010.
Education
Le Fresnoy, Studio national des arts contemporains, 2022-2024
"DNSEP" ,Ecole supérieure d’art d’Aix-en-Provence, France, 2022.
Exchange Semseter - University of Art&Design Linz, Austria 2020.
"DNA" ,Ecole supérieure d’art d’Aix-en-Provence, France, 2019.
Bachelor of Painting, Facuty of Fine Arts, Alexandria University, 2015.
MASS-Alexandria, curated by Petra Sewis, 2013.
MASS-Alexandria, curated by Daniella Rose King, 2012.
Residencies
Resident at Cité Internationale des Arts, Curated by Maria Ines Rodrigez
FAIRE AVEC, assistant artiste, Alvin Curran, Sète, France 2019.
Bavillion Bosios, performing with Jean-François Laporte, junk music, Monaco, France, 2018.
BJCEM, Mediterranean young artists, Milan, 2015.
March Meeting, Sharjah art Foundation 2014.
Artist Assistant, Huguenots House project, Theaster Gates, Documenta 13, Kassel,Germany, 2012.
Panorama 26, Le Fresnoy, France, curtated by Marta Gili, 2024
Union Libre, Auch, France, curated by Karine Mathieu and Jean-Francois Sanz, 2024
Panorama 25, Le Fresnoy, France, curtated by Chris Dercon, 2023
Désorientation, Vasarely Museum, Aix-En-Provence, France 2023
MIT museum, Augsburg, Germany, 2021
Arselectronica, Linz, Austria, 2020
Reimagined Narratives, Art d’Egypt, Cairo, 2019
voyage voyage, Ecole supérieure d’art d’Aix-en-Provence, France, 2018.
BJCEM, biennale Milano, Italy, 2016.
Youth- salno 1st, Eltarasina gallery, Alexandria, Egypt 2015.
Youth- salon the 26th edition, Opera House, Egypt, Curated by Khaled Hafez, 2015.
Youth salon at Saad Zaghloul Museum, Egypt, 2015.
Agenda Exhibition, Bibliotheca Alexandrina, 2014.
Youth- salon the 25th, Opera House, Egypt 2014.
MASS-Alexandria Exhibition 3, Alexandria, Egypt, Curated by Petra Sewis, 2013.
MASS-Alexandria Exhibition 2, Alexandria, Egypt, Curated by Daniella Rose King, 2012.
Markaz Elebdaa, Alexandria, Egypt, 2012.
Caricature , Goethe institute, Alexandria, Egypt, 2012.
Bibliotheca Alexandria, Egypte, 2012.
Atelier Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt, 2010.
Education
Le Fresnoy, Studio national des arts contemporains, 2022-2024
"DNSEP" ,Ecole supérieure d’art d’Aix-en-Provence, France, 2022.
Exchange Semseter - University of Art&Design Linz, Austria 2020.
"DNA" ,Ecole supérieure d’art d’Aix-en-Provence, France, 2019.
Bachelor of Painting, Facuty of Fine Arts, Alexandria University, 2015.
MASS-Alexandria, curated by Petra Sewis, 2013.
MASS-Alexandria, curated by Daniella Rose King, 2012.
Residencies
Resident at Cité Internationale des Arts, Curated by Maria Ines Rodrigez
FAIRE AVEC, assistant artiste, Alvin Curran, Sète, France 2019.
Bavillion Bosios, performing with Jean-François Laporte, junk music, Monaco, France, 2018.
BJCEM, Mediterranean young artists, Milan, 2015.
March Meeting, Sharjah art Foundation 2014.
Artist Assistant, Huguenots House project, Theaster Gates, Documenta 13, Kassel,Germany, 2012.