Beyond the Shore
Audio-visual artist Shadwa Ali explores the withdrawal of nature, prompting questions about the future of her hometown of Alexandria
words & video – shadwa ali
location – alexandria, egypt
Alexandria is a Mediterranean port city in Egypt. I was born and raised there, but it’s a city that I can’t recognise anymore. We wake up every day to new changes. When I moved to Cairo years ago, I started to observe Alexandria differently.
“Beyond the Shore” is more than just an artistic display; it’s an invitation to introspection. I first presented this installation as part of the Sonica Festival in Glasgow last September, where I was among a group of other Egyptian artists who received support from the British Council Egypt to create works about urban change and climate change. The piece prompts questions about the past, present and future and, perhaps, your own existence in this ever-changing world.
I started with sound as the soundtrack is like a requiem for the old city of Alexandria, which carries all the memories and places that don’t exist anymore. I wanted to explore the rapid changes within cities and how mass construction and deconstruction correlates with the emerging urban planning. Everything is becoming more materialistic and artificial, leaving the Mediterranean Sea and our links to it behind. The soundtrack is made with digital, artificial sounds to emphasise the withdrawal of nature, which is replaced by unpredictable and irreversible changes.
The once-recognisable cityscapes fade, replaced by swirling colours and fragmented audio. This shift reflects the digital landscape of our time, prompting questions about our identity, our connection to each other and our place in this ever-evolving world.
The visual projections morph seamlessly into a futuristic narrative that depicts the city’s evolution; the music is a captivating blend of ambient and melancholic sounds. It evokes a sense of loss for the city’s past, a bittersweet farewell to the places and experiences that have vanished. Yet, there’s an undercurrent of hope woven into the melody – hinting at the possibilities of the city’s future.
The once-recognisable cityscapes fade, replaced by swirling colors and fragmented audio. This shift reflects the digital landscape of our time, prompting questions about our identity, our connection to each other, and our place in this ever-evolving world. I had never realised what a privilege it was to see the sea up close and to let my feet touch the waves on the shore in Alexandria; it felt like a nostalgic dream. Upcoming generations may never know these feelings. I decided to work with found footage, especially the Free VJ loops by Mantissa which resemble the industrial futuristic city. Even the sea may become artificial some day.
Referencing Werner Herzog’s Fireball, the piece also focuses on urban planning changes and the insatiable crawl of concrete across our expanses. This irregular, rapid systematic process is going to reconstruct our future – not just in a geographical way but also psychologically. Every day, our world is changing and we have to adapt to cope with it.
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