Citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states woke up on one Monday morning to what is the most severe crisis in the regional bloc’s 36-year history to date. In a closely coordinated series of statements, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE, along with Egypt, announced the severing of ties with Qatar, demanding that the country sever ties with extremist groups. Judging by the Qatari reaction so far, it seems the Gulf states’ patience will be tested. Read more »
Gazbia Sirry: The Nubian Family
Egyptian artist Gazbia Sirry’s, “The Nubian Family,” captured the moment of displacement of thousands of residents by the flooding caused by the construction of the Aswan Dam. In 1962, artists throughout Egypt were invited to capture the moment. Instead of painting the construction of the dam itself, Sirry chose to pay homage to the villagers that lived there. Find out more in this AJ+ Arabic piece with Sultan. Read more »
ArteHub Presents: Sultan Sooud al-Qassemi in Conversation with Omar Berrada
The conversation will cover the current Sharjah Bienniel and recently concluded 10th edition of Art Dubai, Omar’s experience editing ArteEast’s recent Quarterly on race in the Arab world while curating the blockbuster Abraaj Group Art Prize, and what’s next in contemporary creative expression in the MENA region. Read more »
Spotlight on the Gulf: Rise of Gulf Cities, Globalization, and National Identities
At NYU, Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi and Matthew MacLean discuss the rise of the Arab Gulf states in the regional pecking order and how these shifts have produced powerful national identities in Gulf states. Read more »
Kamal Ishag: The Zār (Exorcism)
In this painting by the pioneering modernist Sudanese artist Kamala Ibrahim Ishaq, a spiritual ceremony from the Sudan where women are believed to be exorcised is depicted through the artist’s signature crystalist style. Learn more by watching this AJ+ Arabic video hosted by Sultan. Read more »
How the CIA Secretly Funded Arab Art to Fight Communism
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, details began to emerge about the CIA’s covert role in using art as a tool for political ends during the Cold War. But while much is known about CIA funding for American art during the Cold War, their support for Arab art during the same period has rarely been discussed. Read more »