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 12 of 140 biographies

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Jewad Selim

Explore the life and work of celebrated Iraqi painter and sculptor Jewad Selim in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Zaineb Jewad Selim
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Lorna Selim

Delve into the life and work of English artist and educator Lorna Beryl Selim in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Miriam Jewad Selim
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Laurent Marcel Salinas

Delve into the life and work of prominent Egyptian artist Laurent Marcel Salinas in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Clare Davies
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Habib Serour

Read about Lebanese painter and portraitist Habib Serour in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Marie Tomb
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Hashim Samarchi

Explore this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry about Hashim Samarchi, a pioneering figure in Iraqi graphic art and design.

By Mysa Kafil-Hussain
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Hamed Said

Find out about the extraordinary life and work of intellectual and teacher, Egyptian artist Hamed Said, in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Clare Davies
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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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Atta Sabri

Delve into this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry about pioneer of modern Iraqi art Atta Sabri.

By Tiffany Floyd
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Jagdish Swaminathan

Find out about artist and ideologue Jagdish Swaminathan in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Nancy Adajania
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Hassan Sharif

Uncover how leading Emirati conceptual artist Hassan Sharif pioneered new visual languages, and more, in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Laura Barlow
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Mahmoud Sabri

Delve into the life and career of Iraqi artist and intellectual Mahmoud Sabri in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Amin Alsaden
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Anwar Jalal Shemza

Read about Anwar Jalal Shemza, a key modernist artist from postcolonial South Asia, in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Iftikhar Dadi

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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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Brahim Alaoui

Find out more about art historian, curator, and artistic director Brahim Alaoui in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.
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Zahra A. Hussein Ali

Discover the work of Zahra A. Hussein Ali, whose research explores comparative literature and visual culture, in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.
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Anahi Alviso-Marino

Explore the work of multifaceted political scientist Anahi Alviso-Marino, including varied multimedia research-creation contributions.

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Photos from Baghdad: Notes on the First National Art Exhibition for Arab Women Artists, 1980

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Delve into this essay by researcher and curator Lina Ramadan reconstructing the overlooked history of the First National Art Exhibition for Arab Women Artists in Baghdad.

Tomorrows Ripen Today

By Shuddhabrata Sengupta

Read this essay exploring how human history, technology, and art connect across time to keep the world alive and moving.

Jewad Selim: On Abstraction and Symbolism

By Dr. Nada Shabout

Discover the world of modern artist and sculptor Jewad Selim and his work exploring symbolism, abstraction and historical roots.

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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