“Time, memory and history must always be revisited and questioned. Art gives us the freedom to do so without constraint.”
— Basim Magdy, renowned artist
Basim Magdy is a visionary Egyptian artist whose work merges dreamlike imagery with thought-provoking, philosophical narratives. Through layered photography and vibrant, otherworldly visuals, he invites viewers into worlds shaped by memory, myth and speculative futures. Now featured on Samsung Art Store as part of the Art Basel in Basel collection, his distinctive aesthetic brings moments of reflection into daily life.
Magdy’s work reimagines living spaces as portals to imagined futures and poetic memories. Available exclusively on Samsung Art TVs, these pieces blur the line between art and atmosphere to deliver a gallery-quality experience at home. Expert-validated colors reveal every detail of his layered textures and experimental techniques — encouraging deeper engagement and sparking conversation.
Samsung Newsroom sat down with Magdy to explore his creative process and the transformative power of art in everyday environments.
▲ Artist Basim Magdy poses at Samsung ArtCube at Art Basel in Basel
Partnerships, Presence and Possibilities
Q: How has Art Basel in Basel played a role in your career?
For over a decade, I’ve attended Art Basel in Basel every year — it continues to be one of the most exciting and inspiring art events for me. A recent highlight was having a large-scale photographic work presented in Art Basel Unlimited in 2022.
This year, alongside the presentation of my work at the Samsung ArtCube lounge, I’m exhibiting expanded photography with Gypsum Gallery (Cairo) and paintings with hunt kastner (Prague).
▲ “An Intergalactic Messenger Teleported us to a Cave Settlement Ruled by Shared Compassion and Humility” (2022) by Basim Magdy
Q: What led to your partnership with Samsung Art Store for this year’s Art Basel in Basel?
It happened naturally. I was drawn to the idea of my work existing in a different context — one where it could reach new audiences including those who may not typically visit galleries or museums but who are still curious about art.
Reframing Time Through Art
Q: How did your visual and conceptual style develop into something both surreal and poetic?
It took years of curiosity, experimentation and a desire to create a visual language that reflects who I am. Both poetry and the strange layers of reality have long shaped my thinking. Over time, my style evolved as I explored different artistic tools and mediums. Creating something surreal and poetic has allowed me to propose new ideas and reinterpret familiar ones in unexpected ways.
“Art expresses what can’t be said in words.”
— Basim Magdy, contemporary artist
Q: Storytelling, memory and imagined futures are recurring themes in your art. What drives your interest in these narratives?
I’ve become increasingly interested in how we perceive time. I think that awareness deepens with age — the realization that each passing moment is gone and what lies ahead will be different yet oddly familiar.
Though time is a construct, its rhythms — like sunrises and sunsets — form the backdrop of our lives. History shapes how we understand the past and determines how memories are kept alive — an incredibly subjective process, often told through one point of view.
That’s what fascinates me. It raises questions about what gets recorded and what was deemed unworthy of preservation. What about the countless lives that pass without being remembered or documented? Time, memory and history must always be revisited and questioned. Art gives us the freedom to do so without constraint.
Art Without Rules, Technology Without Limits
Q: Your media include chemically altered film and layered photography. How do you preserve their texture and nuance when translating these physical processes into digital formats for display?
The urge to experiment is what drives me to work across different media. It’s rooted in asking questions and pushing limits. Translating analog processes into digital form is one of those explorations — and with it comes the challenge of maintaining texture, depth and complexity.
▲ Artist Basim Magdy is well known for his fusion of dreamlike imagery with thought-provoking, philosophical narratives
Q: With technology playing a bigger role in creating and experiencing art, how has it shaped your creative process or your approach to audience engagement?
Technology is evolving constantly, and with it, the way we experience the world — not just art. Today, reality often exists simultaneously in physical space and on screens. In the end, I think my lived experiences — whether encountered in real life or on a screen — inform my art just as much as my imagination does.
For me, art expresses what can’t be said in words. Technology is largely shaped by scientific research that operates within defined rules and systems. Art, on the other hand, is free from those constraints — so when artists engage with new technologies, the results are often surprising.
▲ Basim Magdy experiences the new Art Basel in Basel Collection at Samsung ArtCube
From Exhibition to Everyday
Q: Your work is now featured on Samsung Art Store and displayed in homes around the world. How does being part of someone’s everyday environment shift your perspective on your art?
It’s humbling. We each experience art through our own lens — shaped by who we are and where we’ve been. I hope my work resonates in ways that invite thought, emotion or a quiet moment of connection. For me, that kind of unspoken, personal response is the most fulfilling outcome.
Q: Samsung Art Store turns a screen into a gallery. How do you feel your work resonates differently in a digital home setting compared to a traditional gallery or museum?
Seeing art in a gallery or a museum is still ideal — but it’s also limited. A piece only exists in one place and not everyone can travel to see it, especially if it’s halfway across the world.
Samsung Art Store offers a more intimate way to experience art. Someone can engage with a piece they connect with at their own pace, free from the limitations of gallery hours or institutional settings. The platform also gives access to audiences who may not have a chance to view my work through traditional means.
Digital representations of art continue to evolve — and so do the ways we engage with them. I look forward to a future where we can project fully detailed images into space and where the digital experience of art might one day include touch, texture or even scent.
“[Through Samsung Art Store, one] can engage with a piece at their own pace, free from the limitations of gallery hours or institutional settings..”
— Basim Magdy, contemporary artist
Q: If someone is encountering your work for the first time through Samsung Art Store in their home, what would you like them to notice or feel?
I hope they experience something that stays with them — whether it’s a thought, feeling or subtle moment of curiosity. The way someone connects to art is deeply individual, and I try not to shape or influence that. It’s more meaningful when that sense of intimacy is preserved.
