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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Showing 5 of 110 biographies

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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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Mohammad Ismail Gulgee

Explore the life and works of self-taught Pakistani artist Mohammad Ismail Gulgee in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Samina Iqbal
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Jilali Gharbaoui

Delve into the bold life and work of late artist Jilali Gharbaoui, considered one of the founders of modernism in Morocco.

By Holiday Powers
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Cesar Gemayel

Delve into the life and work of Cesar Gemayel, a pioneer of Lebanese modernism, in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Sarah Rogers
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Paul Guiragossian

Read this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry about one of the region's most celebrated artists, Paul Guiragossian.

By Sarah Rogers

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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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Saliba Douaihy: Autobiography and Artistic Views

By Badr el-Hage

Badr El-Hage, co-founder of Lebanon's Nabu Museum, tells of his conversations with the late, and extraordinary, Lebanese artist Saliba Douaihy in this retelling.

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.

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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