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.
Showing 4 of 70 biographies
Jagdish Swaminathan
Find out about artist and ideologue Jagdish Swaminathan in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.
Hassan Sharif
Uncover how leading Emirati conceptual artist Hassan Sharif pioneered new visual languages, and more, in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.
Mahmoud Sabri
Delve into the life and career of Iraqi artist and intellectual Mahmoud Sabri in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.
Anwar Jalal Shemza
Read about Anwar Jalal Shemza, a key modernist artist from postcolonial South Asia, in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.
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.
Aparna Andhare
Get to know Aparna Andhare, an art historian, curator, and writer, whose ongoing project is committed to interpreting historical art forms.
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.
Nour Asalia
Learn about Nour Asalia, a Syrian artist, researcher, and scholar whose writings focus on modern and contemporary Syrian art.
Mona Hatoum: Turbulence
Discover how Mona Hatoum explores the concept of turbulence as a metaphor and experience in her works.
Drawing Chronicles: Wael Shawky’s Cabaret Crusades and the Fall of Teleological History
Discover how artist Wael Shawky reimagines history through his Cabaret Crusades trilogy using marionettes, elaborate scenography and classical Arabic speech.
Wael Shawky in Conversation with Abdellah Karroum
Join artist Wael Shawky in conversation with curator Abdellah Karroum as they delve into the making of Cabaret Crusades and Al Araba Al Madfuna.