BioSara Sallam (1991) is an Egyptian multidisciplinary artist, designer, visual researcher, and book maker based in the Netherlands. She works with photography, video, and creative writing, often re-appropriating and manipulating archival material to invite hidden meanings to emerge. Her research-based work, which she self-publishes in the form of handmade books, explores themes of absence, loss, and longing. It reflects her interest in investigating visual ways of portraying things we cannot see and people we can no longer meet. Against this backdrop, Sara reflects on growing up in Egypt, criticising the colonial heritage manifested in tourism, archaeology, and museum practices preventing Egyptians from relating to their past and ancestors.
I’m represented by Tintera Gallery
Sara Sallam (1991) is an Egyptian multidisciplinary artist, designer, visual researcher, and book maker based in the Netherlands. She works with photography, video, and creative writing, often re-appropriating and manipulating archival material to invite hidden meanings to emerge. Her research-based work, which she self-publishes in the form of handmade books, explores themes of absence, loss, and longing. It reflects her interest in investigating visual ways of portraying things we cannot see and people we can no longer meet. Against this backdrop, Sara reflects on growing up in Egypt, criticising the colonial heritage manifested in tourism, archaeology, and museum practices preventing Egyptians from relating to their past and ancestors.
Sara’s work has been exhibited internationally in solo and group shows and fairs such as Photo London and Intersect 21, and is held in the collection of the Museum of Old and New Art and in private collections. She was awarded grants from Magnum Foundation, Arab Fund for Arts & Culture, the Prince Claus Fund, and Mophradat. Her work was shortlisted for the Lange-Taylor Prize, the Friends of the Arab World Institute Award, Kassel Dummy Award, the Stedelijk Museum’s Art Acquisitions, and Magnum Foundation Fund.
I’m represented by Tintera Gallery
I teach photography at Willem de Kooning Academy
I’m a member in WomenPhotograph
I’m on Instagram and Linkedin
I'm reachable via this email
Education2019 M.A. in Film and Photographic Studies (Cum Laude), at Leiden University, NL
Self-Published Monographs2021 A Tourist Handbook: Egypt Outside of Egypt (Second Edition)
Awards | Nominations
2021 Acquisition, Museum of Old and New Art
Grants | Scholarships
2020 Grant from the Prince Claus Fund
2019 M.A. in Film and Photographic Studies (Cum Laude), at Leiden University, NL
2016 M.A. in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography (Distinction), at the London College of Communication, UK
2013 B.A. in Media Design (High Honours), at the German University in Cairo, EG
Self-Published Monographs
2021 A Tourist Handbook: Egypt Outside of Egypt (Second Edition)
2021 Let My Eyes Have a Glimpse of You
2020 A Tourist Handbook: Egypt Outside of Egypt (First Edition)
2020 If I Can Be Heard In The Place Where You Are
2020 At Last, I Hold Your Gaze
Awards | Nominations
2021 Acquisition, Museum of Old and New Art
2019 Shortlist, Stedelijk Museum’s Municipal Art Acquisitions 2020
2019 Shortlist, Magnum Foundation Fund
2018 Nominated, Joop Swart Masterclass
2017 Finalist, Lange-Taylor Prize
2017 Special Mention, The Friends of the Arab World Institute Award
2017 Nominated, Joop Swart Masterclass
2016 Nominated, Plat(t)form Portfolio Review, Fotomuseum Winterthur
2016 Shortlist, Kassel Dummy Award
2016 Shortlist, PhotoIndependent Art Fair
Grants | Scholarships
2020 Grant from the Prince Claus Fund
2017 Mophradat Grant for Artists
2016 Arab Documentary Photography Program, by Magnum Foundation, Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, and Prince Claus Fund
2015 Vice Chancellor’s International Scholarship, University of the Arts London
2012 Excellence Award, The German University in Cairo, covering a summer Photography workshop at Berliner Technische Kunsthochschule
2010 Excellence Award, The German University in Cairo, covering a summer 2D Animation course at Animation-School-Hamburg
2008 Excellence Award, The German University in Cairo, covering a summer German language A2 course at Ludwig Maximilian Universitaet
Exhibitions2021 Group Exhibition Vantage Point 9, at Sharjah Art Foundation