The news from Lebanon reads like a litany of loss. Since the war began more than two months ago, not only have 2,882 people been killed and 8,768 wounded, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, but once again multiple heritage sites — especially those in the south — have been damaged and destroyed. Indeed, Lebanese heritage, inexorably linked to its peoples, shares in their vulnerability and suffering.
A Moveable Feast of MENA Pop Art at the MEI Gallery
A new exhibition at the Middle East Institute Art Gallery called Arab Pop Art: Between East and West offers a timely reminder that in spite of the conflict and turmoil in the region, there is a lively, vibrant, and cosmopolitan culture at play throughout the Middle East and North Africa.
Maximal Miniatures: A Contemporary Take on a Centuries-Old Persian Art Form
The Maximal Miniatures exhibition, a curated collection on display at MEI’s gallery until May 23, 2025, is interested in the ways in which contemporary artists have reinvented the Persian miniature genre with new questions in mind.
NYT Bestselling Author Kwame Alexander on the Power of Literature and Poetry to Bring Us Together
Renowned poet, producer, and New York Times bestselling author Kwame Alexander joins guest host Lyne Sneige to discuss the power of storytelling and the intersection of art and social change. Looking back on his recent experience speaking at the 2024 Riyadh International Book Fair in Saudi Arabia, Alexander shares his reflections on the Kingdom’s literary scene, the growing appetite for global narratives, and how books and poetry can serve as bridges between cultures.
A Glimmer of Hope in a Time of War: The Beirut Museum of Art’s Mission to Heal and Regenerate Lebanon Through Art
Amid the ongoing calamity of war in Lebanon, the country’s cultural scene is determined to work against the odds to keep its heritage and art alive. Among the many projects that are determined to push ahead is the Beirut Museum of Art (BeMA), a museum long in the works whose mission is to preserve the country’s heritage and culture through modern and contemporary art.
“Vision of darkness balanced by light”: Lebanese-American Artist Nabil Kanso’s Works Express the Current Moment, Decades After Their Creation
Nearly six decades after Kanso moved to America and began his career as a visual artist, his work remains enormously important, channeling the zeitgeist of our uncertain and violent era. Yet as dark as Kanso’s vision is, he also reminds us that even the most hellacious of contexts can contain light and the possibility of rebirth and renewal.
“For Arabs, by Arabs”: Inaugural Design Doha Biennial spotlights emerging voices in Middle Eastern design
Amid a plethora of early spring exhibition openings, artist events, and biennales throughout the Middle East, one clearly stands out in terms of its scale, scope, and thought: the Design Doha Biennial, which ushers in a new phase in Qatar’s long-standing focus on art, culture, and design.
Interview With Rashid Al Khalifa – Bahraini Artist, Collector And Founder of RAK Art Foundation
Director of MEI’s Arts & Culture Center Lyne Sneige interviews HH Sheik Rashid Al Khalifa – artist, collector and founder of the RAK Art Foundation and a participating artist in MEI’s current exhibition “The Sea of Life: Modern and Contemporary Art from The Kingdom of Bahrain”
Home to around 1,000 forts, castles, and watchtowers, Oman has long used its historical structures to showcase the country’s rich history. Now, as part of an effort to promote cultural tourism, the sultanate is looking to develop more of them with a focus on the arts and cultural activities, giving its centuries-old heritage sites a new lease on life.
Shifting Tides: Environment, History, and Culture Shape the Work of Bahraini Artists
“Bahrain” literally translates as “the land of two seas,” referring to the two sources of water within and around the island: the sweet-water terrestrial and submarine springs, and the saltwater surrounding oceans. Water has played a central role in the Gulf island nation’s history and has been a major influence on the work of Bahraini artists, along with the country’s unique landscape and natural environment, as well as the impact of rapid economic and urban development.
MEI’s Senior Vice President Kate Seelye speaks with award-winning theater director and writer Amir Nizar Zuabi – Artistic Director of the ‘Amal Walks Across America’ tour. They discuss the upcoming U.S. tour of Little Amal, an internationally celebrated 12-foot-tall puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee girl traveling across the world carrying a message of hope and compassion for displaced people everywhere.
Kawkaba: Highlights from the Barjeel Art Foundation, a new exhibition of works by artists from across the Middle East and North Africa that opened recently at Christie’s in London, bears the name of the Arabic word for constellation. Fittingly, it shines a light on the region’s mid-century moment when art was often part of a process of post-colonial nation building. The exhibition is a star-studded journey through the region’s 20th century histories and aesthetics, showcasing lesser-known artists along with the greats.
Two decades on, Iraq’s ongoing, if fragile, cultural revival
Although it has fallen off the international news cycle, Baghdad is booming, high on rising oil prices and full, once again, of neo-Abbasid, petroleum-fueled aspirations. Thanks to new anti-money laundering legislation, funds are being funneled not only into hotels and real estate but also into new cultural enterprises. So what does culture in Iraq look like in 2023?
Pilgrims and profits: Jordan looks to holy baptism site to boost religious tourism
The Jordanian government has sought to further develop the Bethany Beyond the Jordan baptism site in an effort to boost the tourism sector and the broader economy. But striking the right balance between economic, religious, political, and environmental considerations won’t be easy.
Jenin’s Freedom Theatre rises from the ashes once again
The Freedom Theatre, headquartered in the Jenin Refugee Camp that was invaded once again by the Israel Defense Forces last week, is nothing if not a crucible for the Palestinian experience. Up against grinding poverty, occupation, religious extremism, and, more recently, aerial bombardment, the theater miraculously survives.
