Emirati columnist, researcher and founder of the Barjeel Art Foundation Sultan Sooud al Qassemi speaks with Gilles about his book, Building Sharjah, co-edited with Todd Reisz, which explores how the discovery of oil in Sharjah in the 1970s propelled the Emirati city onto the world stage, as well as the many local, Arab and Persian influences on the art and architecture of the emirate. Read more »
Al Monitor
Beirut re-brushed
In an Al-Monitor article in 2013, I suggested that partly because of the civil strife, traditional core cities in the Arab world such as Damascus, Cairo and Baghdad are facing, as well as increased cultural investments by Gulf states, the center of gravity for art and culture in the Arab world was shifting eastward to Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Doha. The article created controversy both within the Gulf states and the wider Arab world. Read more »
Why should Qatar reconcile with Egypt?
Ever since the popularly backed coup in Egypt in July 2013, there has been a break in relations between Cairo and Doha affecting not only ties between both states but also other matters of interest. It is time for Qatar to re-evaluate its relationship with Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood and learn from past mistakes. Rebuilding ties with the Egyptian people, before the government, is an important step in this direction. Read more »
Marwan’s exhibition reminder of Syria’s cultural destruction
In numerous corners of the Arab world, modern and historic artifacts are at best being neglected and at worst being destroyed. Libya, Iraq, Palestine and Algeria have all suffered conflict in the past few decades, but none more so than Syria, which has seen centuries-old communities, markets, architecture and art that took years, sometimes decades, to construct suffer decimation in a matter of months from regime and rebel artillery. In Syria, after the weapons are laid down and the foreign mercenaries depart, it will be the Syrians themselves who rebuild the country. Read more »
Qatar’s annus horribilis
What a difference a year makes in the Middle East. One year ago this week, Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, handed over power to his son Sheikh Tamim, joining a short but seemingly growing list of monarchs who have abdicated in favor of their relatives. At the time of his abdication, Hamad left behind an empire of soft power and influence that spanned the entire region. Twelve months on, things could not be more different. Read more »
Gulf atheism in the age of social media
The Gulf states have a long association with Islam; after all, the religion was founded in the Arabian Peninsula more than 1,400 years ago. More recently, movements such as Wahhabism and Salafism were also founded here. However, over the past few years a rising number of Gulf nationals have started to distance themselves from religious practice and in some cases started to openly criticize the application of religion in society. Read more »