It investigates important moments of change in the history of modern and contemporary art; specifically the 1950s - 1960s Post-Independence era, followed by the period between 1970s - 1990s, and the Pre-revolutions of the 2000s when underground artistic movements developed in the region in response to the absence of freedom of expression.
Offering a historical narrative, Revolution Generations introduces artists as vital actors of social and cultural change in each of these periods of modern and contemporary history.
The exhibition is staged in three parts. Chapter one looks at the fight for independence in North Africa, the Middle East countries and beyond in the 1950s, and the beginning of new languages in art and literature. Chapter two shows works by artists who are part of the Pan-Arab cultural movement in the 1970s. Chapter three presents the generation of artists who prefigured the Arab Spring. They invented new vocabularies to portray these societies undergoing change.
Works on show are drawn from the extensive collection of Mathaf, alongside loans from international public and private collections, and from artists and galleries. The exhibition also includes archives, artist encounters and screenings.
Featured Artists
Fahrelnissa Zeid (1901-1991), Turkey
Hussein Bicar (1913-2002), Egypt
Saloua Raouda Choucair (1916-2017), Lebanon
Hatem El Mekki (1918-2003), Tunisia
Fateh Moudarres (1922-1999), Syria
Inji Efflatoun (1924 -1989), Egypt
Shakir Hassan Al Said (1925-2004), Iraq
Etel Adnan (b. 1925), Lebanon
Jagdish Swaminathan (1928-1993), India
Jilali Gharbaoui (1930-1971), Morocco
Baya (1931-1998), Algeria
Burhan Karkoutly (1932-2003), Syria
Ahmed Cherkaoui (1934-1967), Morocco
Farid Belkahia (1934-2014), Morocco
Louay Kayali (1934-1978), Syria
Ismail Fattah (1934 -2004), Iraq
Mohamed Chebaa (1935-2013), Morocco
Abdullah Al Muharraqi (b. 1939), Bahrain
Dia Azzawi (b. 1939), Iraq
Simone Fattal (b. 1942) Syria
Kamal Boullata (b. 1942) Palestine
Jassim Zaini (1943-2012), Qatar
Mona Hatoum (b. 1952), Palestine
Yousef Ahmed (b. 1955), Qatar
Faraj Daham (b. 1956), Qatar
Shirin Neshat (b. 1957), Iran
Nazar Yahya (b. 1963), Iraq
Marwan Rechmaoui (b. 1964), Lebanon
Walid Raad (b.1967), Lebanon
Lara Baladi (b. 1969), Lebanon
Mounir Fatmi (b. 1970), Morocco
Marwan Sahmarani (b.1970), Lebanon
Sabhan Adam (b. 1973), Syria
Abdulnasser Gharem (b. 1973), Saudi Arabia
Amal Kenawy (1974-2012), Egypt
Hassan Khan (b.1975), Egypt
Shiva Ahmadi (b. 1975), Iran
Mounira Al Solh (b. 1978), Lebanon
Erinç Seymen (b. 1980), Turkey