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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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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Wafa Al Hamad

Learn about prominent Qatari artist Wafa Al-Hamad in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Lina Ramadan
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Zahoor ul Akhlaq

Delve into this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry about Zahoor ul Akhlaq, one of the foremost contemporary artists of Pakistan.

By Samina Iqbal
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Tahia Halim

Read about Egyptian expressionist artist Tahia Halim in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Clare Davies
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Cléa Badaro

Explore the life and work of Cléa Badaro, a prominent Egyptian artist of Greek origin, in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Nadine Atallah
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Fikret Muallâ

Read about Turkish painter Fikret Muallâ in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Dr Necmi Sönmez
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Burhan Dogancay

Explore the works of Turkish artist Burhan Doğançay, which capture human emotions on urban surfaces, in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Dr Necmi Sönmez
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Mübin Orhon

Discover career and life highlights of prominent Turkish abstract artist Mübin Orhon in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Deniz Artun
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Erol Akyavaş

Delve into Turkish artist Erol Akyavaş's lithographs to understand his life and career in this Mathaf Encyclopedia entry.

By Deniz Artun

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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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