Biography
Nelly El Sharkawy ( b. 1995, Cairo ) is a Cairo-based architect, photographer, and ballet dancer whose works range from conceptual street photography to architectural photography. Her last solo exhibition “Even a brick wants to be something ELSE” was shown at the Cairo Photo Week (Cairo, 2023). Her recent group exhibitions include " Looking at the Same Water" at Izmir Mediterranean Biennale ( Izmir, 2024 ), “Points of Resonance: Contemporary Photography in Africa” (Cairo,2023), Cairo International Art District 2nd Edition (Cairo, 2022), The Cairo Art Fair 8th Edition (Cairo, 2022), “ Sky, Earth and the Air” at Shelter Art Space (Alexandria, 2022), “Miscegenation" at Shelter Art Space (Alexandria, 2019) and “Sameness” at TU Berlin (El Gouna, 2018). El Sharkawy won the “Best Innovative Photograph” award of the Cairo Camera Club in 2013 and Egypt’s Commercial International Bank (CIB) award in the 25th Youth Salon in 2014. Nelly is currently the managing partner and creative director of Cairopolitan, a design boutique and art gallery in Cairo, Egypt.
CV
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
2023 even a brick wants to be something ELSE | Cairo Photo Week.
2021 Le Carnaval | Gypsum Gallery OVR.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2024 Looking at the same Water | Izmir Mediterranean Biennale, Izmir, Turkey.
2023 Points of Resonance: Contemporary Photography in Africa | Intra-African Trade Fair, Cairo, Egypt.
2022 Aouda Exhibition - Rising From the Ashes | Darb 1718, Cairo, Egypt.
2022 Cairo International Art District II | Art d'Egypte, Founder Spaces, Cairo, Egypt.
2022 Sky, Earth, & the Air | Shelter Art Space, Alexandria, Egypt.
2022 Ma'arad-ha | Art d'Egypte, Cairo, Egypt.
2021 Tangled Structures | Cairo International Art District I, Art d'Egypte, The Factory, Cairo, Egypt.
2021 Miscegenation: The Alexandria Chapter | Shelter Art Space, Alexandria, Egypt.
2021 Almaza Bay Exhibtion | Art d'Egypte, Almaza Bay, Marsa Matruh, Egypt.
2021 Mouanath | Cairo Photo Week, Art d'Egypte, Cairo, Egypt.
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:
2022 Canvas magazine June issue 102 cover
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:
2024 Becoming the Architect of Your World | Workshop, Alexandria Photo Week, Alexandria, Egypt.
2024 From Cairo to Izmir | Talk, Alexandria Photo Week, Alexandria, Egypt.
2023 Even a brick wants to be something ELSE | Talk, Cairo Photo Week, Cairo, Egypt.
2022 Unclonable Structures | Talk, El Gouna Photo Week, El Gouna, Egypt.
2022 Three Influential Photographers: Three Architectural Perspectives | Panel Discussion, Film my Design, Cairo, Egypt.
2021 Untiteld Art | Talk, Cairo Photo Week, Cairo, Egypt.
2021 From the City Narratives | Talk, Shelter Art Space, Alexandria, Egypt.
2021 Patterns of the City through the Eye of the Architect | Panel Discussion, Cairo Photo Week, Cairo, Egypt.
2021 Maneuvering Contemporary Photography: Three Perspectives | Panel Discussion, Cairo Photo Week, Cairo, Egypt.
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 Conceptual | 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.