News

Exhibitions, fairs, auctions, prizes and people across the MENA region.

Louvre Abu Dhabi Sets Sail Across the Indian Ocean in 'Spices and Wonders'

Exhibitions14 October 2026

Louvre Abu Dhabi Sets Sail Across the Indian Ocean in 'Spices and Wonders'

Organised with the Guimet in Paris, Louvre Abu Dhabi's autumn exhibition traces the Indian Ocean trade routes that linked Africa, the Middle East and Europe with South and Southeast Asia, from 14 October 2026 to 14 February 2027.

10 Institutional Exhibitions Opening in the MENA Region This October

Features11 October 2026

10 Institutional Exhibitions Opening in the MENA Region This October

From the Baghdad Modern Art Group at Mathaf to Salah Elmur at Jameel Arts Centre and a moving image biennale in the Medina of Tunis, here are the museum and art centre shows opening across the MENA region this October.

Case Study: Why Louvre Abu Dhabi Has Turned to Souraya Noujaim for Its Second Decade

People7 October 2026

Case Study: Why Louvre Abu Dhabi Has Turned to Souraya Noujaim for Its Second Decade

Louvre Abu Dhabi has named Lebanese-born Islamic art specialist Souraya Noujaim as its new director ahead of its tenth anniversary. We look at the numbers, the appointment and what to watch.

Forever Is Now Returns to the Pyramids of Giza With a Women-Led Sixth Edition

Exhibitions5 October 2026

Forever Is Now Returns to the Pyramids of Giza With a Women-Led Sixth Edition

Art D'Égypte has named the eight artists for Forever Is Now 06, the first edition led mainly by women artists, on the Giza plateau from 4 to 28 November 2026.

Mathaf Revisits the Baghdad Modern Art Group in a Major Doha Exhibition

Exhibitions4 October 2026

Mathaf Revisits the Baghdad Modern Art Group in a Major Doha Exhibition

Curated by Nada Shabout, What Lingers in the Artist Mind traces the Baghdad Modern Art Group from the 1940s to today across 17 sections at Mathaf in Doha, from 25 October 2026 to 6 February 2027.

Louvre Abu Dhabi Reveals the Art Here 2026 Shortlist

Awards3 October 2026

Louvre Abu Dhabi Reveals the Art Here 2026 Shortlist

Six artists from the Gulf and India have been shortlisted for Art Here 2026 and the USD 60,000 Richard Mille Art Prize, with works going on show beneath Louvre Abu Dhabi's dome from 11 November.

Aseel AlYaqoub Wins the Seventh Ithra Art Prize

Awards2 October 2026

Aseel AlYaqoub Wins the Seventh Ithra Art Prize

Kuwaiti artist Aseel AlYaqoub has just won the seventh Ithra Art Prize, and a grant of USD 100,000, for Flora Incognita, a speculative herbarium of hybrid desert plants.

MENA Galleries to See at Frieze London and Frieze Masters 2026

Fairs1 October 2026

MENA Galleries to See at Frieze London and Frieze Masters 2026

From Dastan's love letter to Iran to Maliheh Afnan, Mohamed Melehi and Mounirah Mosly at Frieze Masters, here's where to find our region at Frieze London and Frieze Masters, 14 to 18 October 2026.

Ten Arab Artists in the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Collection

Museums & institutions30 September 2026

Ten Arab Artists in the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Collection

The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi opens on 11 December and tickets are already on sale, but the opening hang has yet to be announced. We look at the ten Arab artists we know are in its collection.

Frieze Abu Dhabi Reveals Its Inaugural Programme

Fairs29 September 2026

Frieze Abu Dhabi Reveals Its Inaugural Programme

Frieze Abu Dhabi has just revealed the programme for its first edition, led by a major commission from Lebanese artist Dala Nasser. Here's what's in store at Manarat Al Saadiyat this November.

Why Did Contemporary Iranian Art Sell for £200 in London This Month?

Features27 September 2026

Why Did Contemporary Iranian Art Sell for £200 in London This Month?

Twenty Tehran galleries sent close to 200 works to Ab-Anbar in London, priced from £200 to £3,000. We look at what the show tells us about the market for art made in Iran today.

CONTINUUM '26 Puts a New Generation of Media Artists in the Spotlight in Diriyah

Exhibitions19 September 2026

CONTINUUM '26 Puts a New Generation of Media Artists in the Spotlight in Diriyah

The second edition of CONTINUUM at Diriyah Art Futures showcases 16 emerging new media artists, with a strong showing from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait and Yemen, until 7 November 2026.

Islamic Arts Biennale Names Four Lead Curators for 2027

People18 September 2026

Islamic Arts Biennale Names Four Lead Curators for 2027

The Diriyah Biennale Foundation has just named Nada Raza, William Robinson, Alain Fouad George and Idries Trevathan as lead curators of the third Islamic Arts Biennale, opening in Jeddah on 1 November 2027.

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