AnalysisArt fairs
'If you're coming to buy, you have two hours to do it': what it's like at London's real-life 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair
In the absence of the major fairs and auctions, Modern and contemporary African art is in the spotlight in London this week
ReviewExhibitions
Virtual photography show reveals modern Lebanon's many layers of tragedy
Lebanon Then and Now: Photography from 2006 to 2020 hosted by Washington, DC's Middle East Institute is both timely and prescient
NewsSaudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia pushes soft power by launching new teamLab digital art museum in Jeddah
The hi-tech Tokyo-based collective will create trademark immersive experiences for the new space
ReviewBooks
New Orientalists: a thoughtful book on the rise and decline of Western artists in the Middle East
There is plenty to enjoy in this account of a group of travelling painters who were not only accomplished but also determined, brave and hardy
NewsBeirut
Emergency fund launched in aid of Beirut's devastated art community
Belgian non-profit Mophradat says that 100% of the money raised will support individual artists and arts organisations
NewsDisasters & destruction
Beirut's art world mourns widespread death and destruction following explosions
With homes, galleries and studios entirely destroyed, Lebanese artists respond in the aftermath of Tuesday’s carnage
NewsDisasters & destruction
Huge explosion in Beirut decimates city and leaves art scene in disarray
Several galleries and museums have been destroyed or severely damaged following the blast and fire that shook the Lebanese capital on Tuesday
NewsAntiquities
Former Louvre curator among five arrested in Paris in antiquities trafficking investigation
Case involves "hundreds of objects worth millions" looted from the Near and Middle East
NewsMuseums & Heritage
Facebook and Instagram ban trading of historical artefacts
Heritage group Athar were part of a campaign highlighting the social media giants' “black market in antiquities”
NewsObituaries
Adam Henein—the Egyptian sculptor who spent a decade restoring the Great Sphinx—has died, aged 91
Rose Issa, curator and friend of the artist, shares the life story of one of the most important sculptors in the Arab world
NewsMiddle East
UAE government promotes existing Art in Embassies acquisition scheme as a coronavirus relief plan
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs suggested its AED 1.5m in purchases were part of a new initiative following the suspension of Art Dubai due to Covid-19
NewsExhibitions
From Modernist nudes to present-day politics: British Museum to reveal its contemporary Middle Eastern art collection
Free exhibition at the London museum in October will show around 150 works that have been collected since the early 1990s
AnalysisArab Spring
The ripple effect of the Arab Spring
Political upheaval across the region presents challenges—and opportunities—for artists and collectors
ReviewExhibitions
Saudi Arabia's art festival 21,39: tackling climate change in the desert
This year's edition of the art initiative is a call to action on the climate emergency
NewsControversies
Embroiled in Palestine row, artist Zineb Sedira says she will not stand down as France’s representative at 2021 Venice Biennale
Pro-Israel arts group protested to French culture ministry about her appointment
InterviewAbed Al Kadiri
Capturing the streets: the Lebanese revolution through the eyes of an artist
Three months into the uprising we speak to Abed Al Kadiri about popular unity, state brutality and why he is documenting events through Chinese-style ink drawings
NewsContemporary Istanbul
Contemporary Istanbul chairman ‘rethinking fair’s governance’ following ‘inappropriate’ comments over Turkey’s military action
Ali Gureli apologises for accusing foreign media of spreading propaganda, but it is not yet clear if he will step down
NewsObituaries
Huguette Caland—leading artist of the Arab world—has died, aged 88
Lebanese artist and designer who was known for her erotic line drawings and abstract paintings was "clearly ahead of her own time"
NewsMiddle East
Tate's huge 'Guernica of the Arab world' is recreated in tapestry so it can travel the world
Dia al-Azzawi's Sabra and Shatila Massacre has been commissioned by a Lebanese art foundation as an "archive of history"
NewsMuseums & Heritage
Middle East think-tank opens art gallery in Washington, DC
New space for Modern and contemporary art from the Arab world will put on five exhibitions a year
NewsMiddle East
Forgotten female artists of Modern Arab art to get their due in Sharjah show
Collector Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi is organising an exhibition with an equal number of male and female masters to redress gender bias
NewsMuseums & Heritage
For its centennial, Oriental Institute weds ancient artefacts with contemporary art
Three artists enter a dialogue with Middle Eastern antiquities at the University of Chicago
NewsMuseums & Heritage
New museum tells Palestinian stories in the centre of US politics
One-room space in Washington, DC, focuses on art and culture rather than “catastrophe”— but a section is dedicated to the 1948 mass exodus
NewsWar & Conflict
Art in the time of airstrikes: Yemeni artists urge international donors for support
Symposium at the British Museum, part of the Shubbak festival of contemporary Arab culture, will include artists from war-torn Yemen and Syria
ReviewBook Shorts
A comprehensive survey of geometric forms in Modern and contemporary Middle Eastern art
Twenty-four artists present their own works in new book, including the late Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian
NewsAncient Egypt
British Museum teams up with Louvre for revamp of Egyptian Museum in Cairo
But the disputed treasure, the Rosetta Stone, will remain in London
NewsExhibitions
eL Seed brings his brand of contemporary calligraphy to London for first UK show
French-Tunisian artist’s 'tabula rasa' paintings at Lazinc will challenge “deep-seated preconceptions” about Arabic script
InterviewMuseums & Heritage
The women taking charge in the Gulf's rising art scene
With many of the region’s museums, fairs and festivals under female leadership, we talk to three key decision-makers
PreviewExhibitions
Two new shows highlight the politics of being apolitical in the powderkeg Middle East
Exhibitions in Doha on the history of Syria and revolutions in the Arab world tread a fine line
CommentMiddle East
Why being a royal artist in the Gulf is a mixed blessing
Rashid Al Khalifa of Bahrain is showing his art in London’s Saatchi Gallery
NewsPrivate Museums
Iraqi artist Dia Azzawi designs new Lebanese private museum
The Nabu Museum collection combines antiquities with Modern and contemporary art
NewsArt market
Abraaj Group liquidators to sell 200 works from art collection at Bonhams
Middle Eastern and South Asian works owned by embattled Dubai-based private equity firm carry much lower estimates than prices paid a decade ago
ReviewArt market
Beirut Art Fair gives helping hand to embattled Egyptian galleries
Lebanese event cuts 'special offer' to help Egypt's galleries exhibit abroad and invests $100,000 in outreach to encourage collectors from further afield
NewsArt market
Embattled private equity firm Abraaj Group fails to renew Art Dubai sponsorship
Plans to lend the Abraaj Group Art Prize collection to the Jameel Art Centre are also on hold
NewsLaw
Parviz Tanavoli banned from leaving Iran over legal dispute with former gallery owner
Maryam Goudarzi claims that the artist should return six 1972 sculptures worth $6m to her, but Tanavoli says they were swapped legally for five newer works
NewsArt market
Unpaid invoices, vetting issues and bad marketing: dealers call out ‘mismanaged’ Bahrain fair
Despite a group of exhibitors describing Art Bahrain Across Borders as disappointing, royal patron says event will continue
NewsArt market
Myrna Ayad steps down as Art Dubai director, while fair plans to move Modern section in 2019
Ayad says decision to leave was "personal" and plans to launch her own art consultancy
NewsOpenings
New cultural hub set to open in West Bank amid political tension
Omar Al-Qattan, chair of the A.M. Qattan Foundation, explains the many challenges of building an arts space under occupation
News
British Museum rekindles relationship with Zayed National Museum after loan deal ended last year
Under new partnership, the London museum will lend key objects to the new institution in Abu Dhabi
NewsExhibitions
British Museum show focuses on Assyrian antiquities targeted by Islamic State
Loans likely to come from Iran—but works from the Met would not meet London museum's strict borrowing guidelines
NewsArt market
Iran’s art market defies expectations in face of US sanctions with new fair
In a first for Iran, the Teer Art fair is set to open in June amid a growing but fragile market environment
NewsContemporary art
From Brussels to Bogotá: where will the Pompidou pop up next?
As museum's teaser show opens in the Belgian capital, its president, Serge Lasvignes, tells us about branching out from Paris
NewsCommissions
Emerging Arab artists to get international shows through new commissioning initiative
Six partner institutions including the Hammer Museum are behind collaborative art production model
CommentLeaders
What we can learn from Saudi art
Suddenly, a lot of money is flowing through the kingdom for the promotion of contemporary art and culture
InterviewExhibitions
Ai Weiwei: 'I'm impressed Qatar wants my show about refugees'
The dissident Chinese artist on why he's tackling the global refugee crisis in his first exhibition in the Gulf
News
Against the odds, Louvre exhibition opens in Tehran in historic deal
French museum became first cultural institution to secure ties with Islamic regime after sanctions lifted in 2016
NewsArt market
Abraaj Group's partnership with Art Dubai to continue, despite reorganisation
Founder Arif Naqvi's departure from the private equity firm's asset management business in February followed claims the company had misused investor funds
NewsCommissions
Kuwaiti artists awarded inaugural Art Jameel commission for new Dubai culture complex
Alia Farid and Aseel AlYacoub will create a light-up botanical garden linking both wings of the Jameel Arts Centre
News
How the Middle Eastern museum and collecting scene have flowered
Anna Somers Cocks, founder-editor of The Art Newspaper, in discussion with Roxane Zand of Sotheby’s at the Asia Society, New York, 1 March
NewsArt market
Middle Eastern artists are charging a lot of money to certify—or condemn—their works
But when does protecting a creative legacy go too far?
NewsBiennials & festivals
What to see at 21,39—Saudi Arabia’s contemporary art festival
Critics choose highlights from fifth edition of the Jeddah show, organised by Tate curator Vassilis Oikonomopoulos
NewsOpenings
New Art Jameel space for contemporary art to launch in Saudi Arabia in 2019
The Hayy: Creative Hub centre in Jeddah is latest cultural offering announced in the rebranded Kingdom
NewsControversies
Louvre Abu Dhabi replaces map that omitted Qatar after international outcry
Museum claims it was an "oversight", but others say it was political
NewsMiddle East
Artists sign letter in support of Lorde's decision to cancel gig in Israel
Shepard Fairey, Peter Kennard and Emily Young among those who back singer after she was branded an anti-semitic bigot in a full-page advert in the Washington Post
News
Saudi mega museum—King Abdulaziz Center in Dhahran—is finally moving ahead
Cultural powerhouse in the Gulf—backed by Aramco—is extending its local and global reach
NewsMiddle East
Muslim leaders across the Middle East work with Israeli rabbis to keep the peace
Interfaith network says that its efforts are more difficult—and urgent—since President Trump’s declaration on Jerusalem’s status
NewsArtists
Banksy and Danny Boyle create Alternativity in Bethlehem, despite never meeting
Street artist and film director staged performance that was filmed for BBC Two documentary which will air this weekend
NewsArt market
Abu Dhabi Art censors work by Saudi Arabian artist
Abdulnasser Gharem’s painting about Sunni-Shia divide was removed from Brigitte Schenk's stand at organisers' request
NewsArt market
Middle East anti-fake drive triggers refund
Bonhams returns £176,500 for piece attributed to Egyptian sculptor
NewsPrivate Museums
Pioneers of Lebanese painting star in private museum near the Syrian border
Collector Emile Hannouche has opened his family mansion in the Bekaa Valley to the public
NewsExhibitions
Secret objects tell life story of Emirati conceptual pioneer Hassan Sharif
Sharjah show recreates late artist’s studio
News
Marrakech bids to become hub for contemporary African art as museum plans relaunch alongside 1:54 fair
Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden will hold "international opening" in February
NewsExhibitions
Largest survey of Qatari contemporary art to open in Berlin despite ongoing blockade
Exhibition is final event in Year of Culture partnership between Qatar and Germany
NewsLouvre Abu Dhabi
Swiss journalists reporting on opening of Louvre Abu Dhabi detained for two days
The pair were blindfolded then interrogated for up to 10 hours by authorities over their coverage of migrant workers
NewsWar & Conflict
Letter from Yemen: artist speaks out about his country’s 'forgotten war'
Ahmed Jahaf describes what it is like to live through catastrophic conflict
FeaturePodcast
Abu Dhabi Focus podcast, episode three: how the UAE art scene became a force to be reckoned with
Art dealer Thaddaeus Ropac and curator Maya Allison tell us how the nation’s creative ambitions have blossomed. Plus: Silver Lion-winning musician and artist Hassan Khan on his Abu Dhabi Art performance
FeaturePodcast
Abu Dhabi Focus podcast, episode two: How Saudi artists are driving political change
As Abu Dhabi Art fair opens, we speak to the Saudi artists Manal Al Dowayan and Ahmed Mater. Plus: Iraq's Dia Azzawi on creating the Arab world's Guernica
NewsArt fairs
In the afterglow of Louvre Abu Dhabi’s opening, Abu Dhabi Art moves up a notch
Some dealers at the fair report brisk early business but say big sales are a waiting game
FeaturePodcast
Abu Dhabi Focus podcast, episode one: Louvre Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi Art
With all eyes on Abu Dhabi this week, we speak to the architect Jean Nouvel on designing the Arab world's first universal museum. Plus: a preview of Abu Dhabi Art fair
NewsArt market
Abu Dhabi Art set to benefit from Louvre opening
This year’s fair has 13 new exhibitors and is hoping for more international visitors
NewsArt market
Collectors tackle rise in fake Modern Middle Eastern art
Dalloul Art Foundation investigates authenticity of some Middle Eastern works before museum opening
NewsExhibitions
Saudi artist Abdulnasser Gharem to have first solo US show at Lacma
Former lieutenant colonel in the Saudi Arabian army is known for his politically and socially engaged works that draw on his Muslim heritage
NewsEgypt
How art is keeping alive the memory of the 2011 Egyptian Revolution
Five years after the uprisings in Cairo, the spirit of the protests lives on in cultural projects
NewsPolitics
Dashed hopes of the Arab Spring: Ibrahim El-Salahi creates new work inspired by protests
Drawings by the Sudanese artist will be shown in full for the first time in Istanbul this month charting an arc from hope to violence
ArchiveWar & Conflict
Curators, art historians and museum directors sought by the US Army to provide expert advice in combat zones
Wanted: a new generation of Monuments Men
ArchiveInstitut du Monde Arabe
Renewal in the Arab world to come from women and the young, says French president
Last month’s conference at the Institut du Monde Arabe acquired special meaning after Charlie Hebdo
ArchiveFakes & copies
Looting in the Middle East encourages fakes and forgeries
Modern art targeted as the originals go missing
ArchiveMuseums & Heritage
The government of Saudi Arabia to spend $1.7bn on building 230 museums
Thirty international archaeology teams have been invited to the desert land
ArchiveJerusalem
Negotiations over Jerusalem’s holy sites not just for politicians, say religious officials
Jewish, Muslim and Christian leaders say they must be involved in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks
ArchiveExhibitions
V&A strengthens ties with Qatar by showing pearls exhibition from Doha, despite ethical concerns
Museum closes a cultural gulf
FeatureFrom the archive
From muted to politically charged: upheaval in the Middle East on show at the Venice Biennale
Nations are taking contrasting approaches to the region’s continuing political and social chaos
AnalysisFrom the archive
Heritage caught in the crossfire in wake of Arab Spring
From Macedonia to Mali, the culture of the Islamic world is in an ideological and territorial struggle
ArchiveUAE
Sharjah looks East and West during 11th biennial
Biennial embraces divergent ways of seeing the world, despite growing censorship in the Gulf
ArchiveExhibitions
Iraq War remembered (but not the dodgy dossier) at Imperial War Museum North
Tony Blair will not feature heavily in this exhibition - rather, those whose lives were shaped and destroyed by the conflict
ArchiveDiscoveries
Discovery of a prehistoric sculpture in Saudi Arabia could mean horses tamed in 7000BC
It’s a Late Stone Age horse, of course?
ArchiveMiddle East
Arab institute in Paris revamps its museum
The space aims to celebrate cultural diversity in the Middle East
FeatureFrom the archive
Arab protesters put their art on the streets
Artists have used the walls of Cairo, Damascus and Tripoli to document the uprisings
NewsFrom the archive
New antiquities minister must increase museum security and distance himself from Mubarak
Zahi Hawass faces major challenges over looting
ArchiveBooks
Indefatigable enthusiasm in Saeb Eigner's book "Art of the Middle East: Modern and Contemporary Art of the Arab World and Iran"
While one may not be familiar with some of the book's more niche digressions, Eigner's dexterity in referencing the ancient past never fails to impress
ArchiveArt market
Trends in collecting: Are domestic collectors ready to take on the world?
While the Russians are branching out, Indian collectors don't stray far from home
ArchiveMiddle East
British Museum and Tate expand focus on Middle East
Both have set up acquisition committees concentrating on the region
ArchiveIstanbul Biennial
The Istanbul Biennial looks east (Eastern Europe, that is)
The Turkish capital has curators, collectors and galleries—if the government pitches in, it could become the leading destination for contemporary art in the Middle and Near East
ArchiveColonial art
Are we colonialising Middle Eastern art?
As the Middle East increasingly becomes a producer and consumer of contemporary art, the role of the West as 'tastemaker' grows progressively more troubling
ArchiveArt Dubai
Strong sales at Art Dubai shadowed by censorship of Pakistani artist
Market worries conspicuously absent at Art Dubai
ArchiveAntiquities & Archaeology
An international mission had found no evidence of recent looting at eight sites in south Iraq; some archaeologists were far from pleased
The unwelcome truth
CommentProtest
Why I made a cemetery for hundreds of banned books in Kuwait
Kuwaiti artist Mohammad Sharaf hopes to provoke the general public as well as the authorities
Mohammad Sharaf