Amir Youssef
EMAN / إيمان - Film - 15min - 2024
presented as part of the exhibition Panorama 26
Hoping for a miracle to find his missing mother, a young Egyptian Copt goes to the Basilica of Saint-Quentin. There, he explores the existential questions of his faith in the labyrinth of his memories.
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.
