Basim Magdy. Deutsche Bank "Artist of the Year" 2016

Basim Magdy, Deutsche Bank's "Artist of the Year" 2016, will present his first institutional solo exhibition at the Deutsche Bank KunstHalle. The artist, who was born in 1977 in Assiut, Egypt, and now lives in Basel and Cairo, has created a multifaceted oeuvre in recent years that encompasses film, photography, slide projections, installations, and works on paper. At the center of all his works are structures of seeing, remembering, and archiving.

Many of Basim Magdy's works, which are based on observations of reality, are akin to surreal tales full of cryptic humor. With paintings and assemblies boasting psychedelic-looking colors, the artist investigates collective utopias and formulates his doubts in dogmas and ideologies. At the same time, he appeals to the viewer's imagination and reveals alternative realities and social blueprints.