CLAY TALKS
INSPIRATION IN THE MAKING
GUEST SPEAKER: 31 January 2025
Zahed is a Syrian artist, archeologist, conservator and researcher. He studied chemistry, fine arts, ceramics, archeology and has a PhD in Egyptian Faience from Westminster University. He has a special interest in history and ancient art, and his sculpture is influenced by ancient artefacts, archaeology and mythology. He has worked on many archaeological digs in the Middle East.
With his scientific background and an incredible understanding of ancient materials, Zahed then works intuitively with clay, creating sculptural ceramic figures which he finishes with textures, and naturalistic patinas. Some have weathered surfaces, which he creates with oxides and the artful use of glazes. His art tells us a story about ancient and modern tales, weaving history, technology, archaeology and mythology all together.
Zahed will talk through his long professional career starting with his Syrian origins and his body of work as a sculptor, establishing a recurring theme in his career: mythology. While giving a story to the piece, the mythological narrative is also subversive and makes us reflect on both the past and present time.
Zahed discuss research on Egyptian faience. During his PhD at Westminster, Zahed not only re-discovered the science and technology behind this beautiful turquoise material, but he also re-discovered how to use it to make and sculpt new artefacts. While studying this material, Zahed created a whole body of work known as the 'Nu' Shabtis, exhibited at the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology at the end of his thesis in 2014.
The ‘U’ Shabtis in ancient Egypt are the small, mostly turquoise figurines that guarded the dead and served them in the afterlife. Zahed created instead the ‘Nu’ Shabtis, who have awoken in the 21st century and found there is no afterlife, no god of the underworld, and no labours to perform. They are ‘liberated’ and walk among us finding new things to do with their lives. He describes it, “Some follow our lifestyle and become happy with our activities, our shopping and consumption patterns, and all our gadgets and tools. Other Nu‐Shabtis remain restless and continue searching for freedom and liberty. Some find themselves becoming demonstrators and freedom fighters and joining us in mankind’s eternal quest for freedom. In these varying responses to our modern existence they reflect us all, and also the complications and contradictions of the world in which we currently operate”.
Today you can find six of these ‘Nu’ Shabtis at the Victoria & Albert museum, in the Ceramics and Islamic Middle East Galleries.
Learn more about Zahed's work on his website:
And follow him on instagram:
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