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 140 of 140 biographies

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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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Zahra A. Hussein Ali

Discover the work of Zahra A. Hussein Ali, whose research explores comparative literature and visual culture, 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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Photos from Baghdad: Notes on the First National Art Exhibition for Arab Women Artists, 1980

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Delve into this essay by researcher and curator Lina Ramadan reconstructing the overlooked history of the First National Art Exhibition for Arab Women Artists in Baghdad.

Tomorrows Ripen Today

By Shuddhabrata Sengupta

Read this essay exploring how human history, technology, and art connect across time to keep the world alive and moving.

Jewad Selim: On Abstraction and Symbolism

By Dr. Nada Shabout

Discover the world of modern artist and sculptor Jewad Selim and his work exploring symbolism, abstraction and historical roots.

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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