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Nelly El Sharkawy
Biography

Nelly El Sharkawy (b. 1995, Cairo) is an architect and ballerina who started practicing photography in 2011. From conceptual self-portraits to black and white street photography, El Sharkawy is currently working on architectural photography. Her work has been shown widely in group exhibitions in Egypt at venues such as Gypsum Gallery OVR, Art d’Egypte, Zamalek Art Gallery, Soma Art Gallery, The Arts Mart Gallery, Darb1718, Shnit Film Festival, Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival (DCAF), The Palace of Arts, among others. She was nominated for the Foam Paul Huf Award in 2017 and her work was featured in the top ten architectural photographs in The Sharjah Arab Photo Award in 2013. El Sharkawy has won two awards for “Best Innovative Photograph” in the Cairo Camera Club as well as the CIB prize in the 25th Youth Salon. El Sharkawy is currently the Managing Partner and creative director of Cairopolitan, a design boutique and art gallery located in Cairo, Egypt. 

CV

SOLO EXHIBITIONS:

2021        Le Carnaval | Gypsum Gallery OVR.

GROUP EXHIBITIONS:

2020        Cairo Art Fair 6th Edition | The Artsmart Gallery, Cairo, Egypt.

2020        Basalet ElMoheb | The Artsmart Gallery, Cairo, Egypt.

2020        DOTS Exhibition | Art D'Egypte, Kodak Passageway.

2020        Bright Lights, Big Shadows Exhibition | The Photographic Gallery, AUC.

2019        Cairo Art Fair 5th Edition | Artsmart Gallery, Cairo, Egypt.

2019        STRATA |Zamalek Art Gallery, Cairo, Egypt.

2019        TAM.Gallery North| Diplo, North Coast, Egypt.

2019        The Summer Affordable Art Show| Artsmart Gallery, Cairo, Egypt.


2019        SHE TELLS |B’sarya Art Gallery, Alexandria, Egypt.


2018        SHE TELLS Photo Art Exhibition, curated by SOMA Art Gallery| Cairo Photo Week, Cairo, Egypt.


2018        Cairo Design Award| Cairo, Egypt.


2018        Sameness, curated by Adsum Art| TU Berlin El Gouna, Egypt.


2018        SOMA Summer Art Collection| SOMA Art Galler, Cairo, Egypt.

2018        The Summer Affordable Art Show| Artsmart Gallery, Cairo, Egypt.


2017        D-tour III| Abngworld & Downtown Cairo, Cairo, Egypt.


2017        Cairo Art Fair III| ArtsMart Gallery, Cairo, Egypt.


2017        SOMA wall at Maison 69| Curated by SOMA Art Galler, Cairo, Egypt.


2017        Kintsugi Exhibition| SOMA Art Galler, Cairo, Egypt.

2017        The Summer Affordable Art Show| Artsmart Gallery, Cairo, Egypt.


2017        The Contemporary Shutter Exhibition curated by Photopia| D-CAF, Cairo, Egypt.


2016        Cairo Art Fair II| ArtsMart, Cairo, Egypt.


2016        Liberalis Institution of Arts| Medicines Du Monde, Cairo, Egypt.


2016        Youth Salon, Kasr al Fenoun| Cairo Opera House, Cairo, Egypt.


2016        The Artists of Tomorrow| ArtsMart, Cairo, Egypt.


2014        Youth Salon, Kasr al Fenoun| Cairo Opera House, Cairo, Egypt.


2014        Photopia Photo Gallery, Westown hub Winter Festival| Sodic, Cairo, Egypt.


2014        Collective photography Exhibition| Al Sawy Culture Wheel, Cairo, Egypt.


2013        Sharjah Award Photo| Sharka, Emirates.


2012        Mashrou3 Hagar: Art Empowers!
                | Darb 1718, Cairo, Egypt.
                | Alexandria Atelier, Alexandria, Egypt.
                |Suhag Culture Palace, Suhag, Egypt.


2012        Collective photography Exhibition| Al Sawy Culture Wheel, Cairo, Egypt.


2011        Collective photography Exhibition| Al Sawy Culture Wheel, Cairo, Egypt.

AWARDS, NOMINATIONS & FEATURES:

2019        El Beit magazine June issue cover


2017        Foam Paul Huf Award Nomination| Foam, Amsterdam.


2016        The Photographers Gallery Instagram takeover by Photopia|The Photographer’s Gallery, UK.


2014        CIB Award, Youth Salon, Kasr al Fenoun| Cairo Opera House, Cairo, Egypt.


2013        Most Innovative Photograph| Cairo Camera Club, Cairo, Egypt.


2013        Architecture Top Ten Nominee, Sharjah Award Photo| Sharjah, Emirates.

PUBLIC SPEAKING/ TEACHING:
 

2019       Communicating Photography: Presentation Skills for Photographers Talk| Photopia, Cairo, Egypt.


2019       She Tells Artists Talk, curated by Soma Art Gallery| Photopia, Cairo, Egypt.


2018       How to see in Black & White Talk| Photopia, Cairo, Egypt.

2018       TEDx salon’s event; Popcorn|GUC, Cairo,Egypt.


2017       Born to Change curated by Photopia, Cairographie Photography Festival|Darb 1718, Cairo, Egypt.


2017       Street Photography Workshop hosted by Photopia| D-CAF, Cairo, Egypt.


2016       Alternative Conceptul Talk| Photopia, Cairo, Egypt.


2016       Double Exposure Workshop| Cairo Camera Club, Cairo, Egypt.


2015       Mashrou’ El Saada Public Lecture| AAST, Cairo, Egypt.


2015       Double Exposure Workshop| Photopia, Cairo, Egypt.


2014       Egypt’s Female Photographers Talk| Al Sawy Culture Wheel, Cairo, Egypt.

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