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 125 of 125 biographies

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Daoud Corm

Read about Lebanese portraitist David Corm in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Sarah Rogers
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Safia Farhat

Explore artist Safia Farhat's impact on Tunisia's artistic and feminist movements in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Lina Ramadan
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Ezzedine Hamouda

Read about accomplished Egyptian painter and theorist Ezzedine Hamouda in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Clare Davies
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Hamed Abdalla

Learn about Egyptian artist Hamed Abdalla in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Mehri Khalil
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Jellal Ben Abdallah

Explore self-taught Tunisian artist Jellal Ben Abdallah's life and career trajectory in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Beya Othmani
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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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Jamil Naqsh

Read about Pakistani artist Jamil Naqsh's figurative oil paintings of women with pigeons, and more, in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Samina Iqbal
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Marguerite Nakhla

Discover pioneering Egyptian artist Marguerite Nakhla's life and career in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Nadine Atallah
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Abidin Dino

Read about versatile Turkish artist Abidin Dino's beginnings and career in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Deniz Artun
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Ahmed Morsi

Delve into contemporary Egyptian artist Ahmed Morsi's paintings and Arabic poetry in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Lara Ayad
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Kadhim Haidar

Delve into the life and career of Kadhim Haidar, once one of the most influential modern artists in Iraq, in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Saleem Al-Bahloly
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Mohanna Durra

Discover the life and career of Mohanna Durra, a pioneer of Jordan's modern art movement, in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Sarah Rogers
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Khalid al-Jader

Read about Iraqi artist and scholar Khalid al-Jader in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Tiffany Floyd
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Zarina Hashmi

Learn about Indian-born artist Zarina Hashmi in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Aparna Andhare
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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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Anahi Alviso-Marino

Explore the work of multifaceted political scientist Anahi Alviso-Marino, including varied multimedia research-creation contributions.
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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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Notes for an Autobiography Dia al-Azzawi

By Dia al-Azzawi

Delve into this foundational text by legendary Iraqi artist Dia al-Azzawi reflecting on his work and life journey from Baghdad to exile in London.

Notes On Weaving

Read this essay by curator Mouna Mekouar reflecting on how art bridges diverse cultures and redefines itself across different spaces and times.

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.

About the Encyclopedia

Main Page

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

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