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 70 of 70 biographies

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Mohammed Racim

Read about Mohammed Racim, considered one of the first Algerian painters, in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Emma Chubb
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Khadiga Riaz

Find out more about Khadiga Riaz, a central figure in Egypt's first wave of painterly abstraction, in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Clare Davies
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Ahmed Khan

Learn about designer and modernist painter Ahmed Khan and explore his artistic contributions in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Samina Iqbal
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Ramses Younan

Learn about pivotal Egyptian artist Ramses Younan and explore his artistic contributions in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Alex Dika Seggerman
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Ayesha Mariam Durrani

Learn about Pakistani painter Ayesha Mariam Durrani and explore her artistic journey in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Samina Iqbal
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Unver Shafi Khan

Discover contemporary artist Unver Shafi Khan and explore his innovative works in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Samina Iqbal
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Ismail Fattah al-Turk

Read about one of Iraq's most prominent artists, Ismail Fattah al-Turk, in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Zouina Ait Slimani
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Ahmed ben Driss el Yacoubi

Learn about self-taught Moroccan visual artist and storyteller Ahmed ben Driss el Yacoubi in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Tina Barouti
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Abdulkader Arnaout

Read about pivotal figure in modern Arab art, Abdulkader Arnaout, in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.
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Suad al-Attar

Delve into the life and work of Suad al-Attar, one of Iraq's leading female artists, in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Tiffany Floyd
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Menhat Helmy

Read about Egyptian artist Menhat Helmy in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Mehri Khalil
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Ezzeldin Naguib

Read about artist, writer and art critic Ezzeldin Naguib in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Mehri Khalil
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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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Mahmoud Hammad

Delve into the life and work of leading Syrian modernist artist Mahmoud Hammad exploring the creativity behind his remarkable works.

By Nour Asalia
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Effat Naghi

Find out about influential Egyptian artist Effat Naghi and the creativity behind her remarkable works.

By Nadine Atallah
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Mohamed Drissi

Read about influential Moroccan artist Mohamed Drissi and the creativity behind his groundbreaking works.

By Tina Barouti

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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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Wael Shawky in Conversation with Abdellah Karroum

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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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