From 2006 to 2023, the Russian-Swedish photographer and curator Xenia Nikolskaya traveled to Egyptian churches and monasteries documenting Coptic artifacts and holy relics. The resulting images bear witness to the profound and enigmatic connection between Coptic believers and their centuries-old traditions and rituals, but also to the changes they are undergoing in the face of today’s mass consumerist culture. Plastic Jesus is both a tribute to the power of religious beliefs and an empathetic examination of lived spirituality and its material expression. In this context, faith is revealed in everyday wonders, large and small, that transcend religion in the conventional sense.
After the book presentation by all three authors, there will be the option to acquire a signed copy of the book.
Dr. Xenia Nikolskaya is an award-winning (Russian-born) Swedish photographer, curator, and educator. She is a Fulbright fellow and holds her Ph.D. from the University of Sunderland, UK. Xenia took part in more than 40 international exhibitions, 20 of them solo shows. Her works are preserved at the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. She is the author of the books “Dust: Egypt’s Forgotten Architecture”, “Anatoly Garanin, Soviet Union” (editor), “The House My Grandfather Built” (Swedish Photobook Award 2021), “Dust: Egypt’s Forgotten Architecture. Expanded and Revised Edition”, and “Plastic Jesus”. Xenia taught photography at the Russian Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg, the American University in Cairo, and Rutgers University, New Jersey. Since 2019, she has been teaching photography at the German University in Cairo.
Adam Makary is an Egyptian American journalist turned filmmaker based in Cairo. He spent over a decade reporting across the Middle East for outlets like Reuters and Al Jazeera before turning to narrative storytelling. He is currently working on his debut short film while writing about Egypt through a lived archive of memory, cultural encounter, and the textured layers of urban life.
Omar Al-Zo’bi is a Jordanian graphic designer and design educator based in Amman. Alongside Yousef Abedrabbo, he co-founded Eyen, a graphic design studio that works in branding & visual identities, publication & editorial design, Arabic typography and independent publishing.
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The lecture starts at 6 pm. We work on a first-come, first-served basis as the number of seats is limited. We open our doors at 5:30 and close them at 6:15 or earlier when the lecture room reaches its full capacity.
The lecture starts at 6 pm. We work on a first-come, first-served basis as the number of seats is limited. We open our doors at 5:30 and close them at 6:15 or earlier when the lecture room reaches its full capacity.
