Artists' Biographies

Featuring the lives behind the art, these biographies highlight the voices and practices of artists who have shaped modern and contemporary art in the SWANA region. Through concise, research-driven portraits, each entry offers key insights into the artist’s life and practice, enriching the understanding of the region’s evolving artistic landscape.
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Mohammed Ben Ali Rbati

Delve into this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry about Mohammed Ben Ali Rbati, one of the earliest modern Moroccan painters.

By Holiday Powers
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Saloua Raouda Choucair

Explore this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry about Saloua Raouda Choucair, one of the leading pioneers of abstract art in Lebanon.

By Kirsten Scheid
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Fateh Moudarres

Explore this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry about one of the most prominent modernist artists in Syria, influencing contemporary Syrian art, Fateh Moudarres.

By Nour Asalia
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Farid Belkahia

Delve into this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry about Farid Belkahia, one of Morocco's foremost modernist artists, known for his work with leather and copper.

By Holiday Powers
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Bibi Zogbé

Read this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry about “the painter of the soul of plants” Lebanese artist Bibi Zogbé.

By Marie Tomb
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Ahmed Maher Raef

Explore this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry about influential Egyptian avant-garde artist Ahmed Maher Raef.

By Clare Davies
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Fadi Barrage

Delve into the life and eclectic works of Lebanese artist Fadi Barrage in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Marie Tomb
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Marie Hadad

Learn about the life and works of pioneering Lebanese painter Marie Hadad in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Marie Tomb
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Hassan Soliman

Explore the work of prolific writer and artist Hassan Soliman in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Clare Davies
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Ahmed Cherkaoui

Read about the life and works of Ahmed Cherkaoui, once one of the leading Modernist painters of Moroccan art.

By Samia Touati
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Mohammed Ghani Hikmat

Explore Mohammed Ghani Hikmat's beginnings and works in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry about the undeniable Iraqi artist.

By Tiffany Floyd
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Elias Zayat

Delve into the life and works of prominent Syrian artist and art restorer Elias Zayat in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Mathilde Ayoub
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Laila Muraywid

Read about multidisciplinary Syrian artist Laila Muraywid's life and inspirations in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Mathilde Ayoub
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Abdel Hadi El-Gazzar

Read about artist Abdel Hadi El-Gazzar's short but prolific career as a leader of postwar Egyptian painting in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Alex Dika Seggerman
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Marwan Kassab-Bachi

Learn more about activist and artist Marwan Kassab-Bachi in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry about the late Syrian painter.

By ​​​​​Charlotte Bank
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Samir Rafi

Delve into the world of prominent Egyptian artist Samir Rafi in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Mehri Khalil

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Nancy Adajania

Learn about the curatorial journey of Nancy Adajania and her exhibitions including one that showcased the first-ever mapping the women’s movement in India.
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Aparna Andhare

Get to know Aparna Andhare, an art historian, curator, and writer, whose ongoing project is committed to interpreting historical art forms.
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Deniz Artun

Learn about Deniz Artun, a writer and curator recognised by the French Republic for her contributions to Turkish-French artistic and cultural exchange.
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Nour Asalia

Learn about Nour Asalia, a Syrian artist, researcher, and scholar whose writings focus on modern and contemporary Syrian art.

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Ahmed Cherkaoui: Decode his Memory

By Brahim Alaoui

Explore this essay by researcher, museum director and juror Brahim Alaoui about the life, work and genius of Moroccan painter Ahmed Cherkaoui.

Record, or Arab Art Again

By Dr Nada Shabout

Delve into this essay exploring Arab identity, politics and their intersection with modern Arab art, as a reflection on Mathaf's inaugural exhibition Sajjil: A Century of Modern Art.

Salim al-Dabbagh: Eloquence of Silence

By May Muzaffar

Delve into the life, work and inspirations of undeniable Iraqi artist Salim al-Dabbagh through this essay, penned by poet and writer May Muzaffar.

About the Encyclopedia

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Explore the Mathaf Encyclopedia of Modern and Contemporary Arab Art. Discover artist biographies, essays, and scholarly insights.

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