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 120 of 120 biographies

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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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Salah Enani

Read about Egyptian artist Salah Enani in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Sarah Dwider
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Bahman Mohassess

Learn about prominent Iranian visual artist, translator, and theatre director Bahman Mohasses in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Tina Barouti
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Shakir Ali

Learn about Shakir Ali, an artist, teacher, and thinker, in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Samina Iqbal
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Jumana El-Husseini

Read about Jumana Jamal El-Husseini, a prominent Palestinian artist, in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Lina Ramadan
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Abdul Hay Mosallam Zarara

Learn about Palestinian self-taught artist Abdul Hay Mosallam Zarara in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Ala Younis

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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.

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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