Beyond Ruptures includes works of Aref el Rayess, Jean Khalife, Samir Khaddaje, Samia Osseiran, Shafic Abboud, Said Akl, Akram Zaatari and Nesrine Khodr as a testimony and tribute to the cultural resistance led by artists, cultural workers, and art patrons, in the challenging environments Lebanon has presented over the years. Selected works in the timeline, mark important events in the lives of each artist, and act as time capsules showing different artistic practices shaped by violence.
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Je suis inculte ! revisits the legacy of the annual juried Salon d’Automne in Beirut from the Sursock Museum’s inauguration in 1961 — the year the private villa of Nicolas Ibrahim Sursock became the first, and only, public museum of modern and contemporary art in Beirut — until the present day. The salon served as an appropriate exhibition model for a newly independent nation, as an academy capable of training young artists, and as a tastemaker for audiences.
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Artist Yto Barrada will transform the MoMA PS1 courtyard with a large-scale installation, her first major outdoor work is composed of colorful concrete blocks stacked into pyramidal towers whose lower levels visitors can sit on and explore, providing an interactive experience in the courtyard and a setting for PS1’s signature summer music series Warm Up. The sculptures’ formations draw inspiration from multiple histories of surmounting barricades and retooling architectures: the construction of human pyramids in Morocco, Moroccan Brutalism, and Barrada’s family lore.
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The exhibition interweaves several pressing constellations of “unpeace” in our time. It delves into the protracted military engagement in Ukraine, explores the enduring aftermath of colonialism, racism, and the carceral system, exposes the effects of patriarchal orders, and navigates the complex histories of conflict in the Middle East, which form the backdrop to the virulent eruption of war in October 2023. Furthermore, it scrutinizes the intricate topography of (future) conflicts driven by the addiction to fossil fuels, resource extractivism, and compounding environmental catastrophes.
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Taking as its starting point the nature of breath and its vital role in our very existence, the exhibition reflects on the social, political, environmental, and spiritual aspect of breathing, tracking this vital act from the impact of post-industrial air pollution to modern-day wars and the effect on environment, health and how we live; to the suppression of protests of voices from different communities, where breath is a symbol of community and resistance. Featuring the work of Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Belinda Kazeem-Kamiński, Hajra Waheed, Marina Abramović, among others.
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The exhibition explores light’s multifaceted impact. Featuring contemporary installations by prominent international and Canadian artists, including Anila Quayyum Agha, Tannis Nielsen, Olafur Eliasson, Kimsooja, and Anish Kapoor, the exhibition delves into how light shapes history and continues to influence our perceptions, emotions, and understanding of the world.
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Navid Nuur (Tehran, 1976) is an artist who explores meaning through an approach that bridges art and alchemy. He uses natural transformation processes of materials, influenced by light, darkness or cold, to visualise immaterial phenomena – such as the flow of energy or the perception of time. In the Oude Kerk, Nuur’s works explore light, time and space, visible and invisible phenomena, and physical and chemical principles.
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Curated by Idil Tabanca, this exhibition features international artists and designers whose creations transcend traditional boundaries in painting, sculpture, installation, and furniture design, redefining the relationship between form and function. In an era where modern humans spend more than three-quarters of their lives indoors, nature feels more distant than ever. “Creatures of Comfort” explores works that create space for nature to re-enter our urban lives.
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The exhibition, presenting an up-to-date selection from the Borusan Contemporary Art Collection, focuses on how spiral cycles, which define human existence, are interpreted by contemporary artists. Evolving regularly since the 2000s through commissions and acquisitions, the collection provides viewers with an in-depth interaction with different formations, issues, and ways of seeing in today’s world, bringing together works by artists who navigate between the physical and virtual realms.
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The exhibitions “Nicky Nodjoumi: The Personal is Political” and “Nahid Hagigat: Etched in Time” explore the story of a family of artists shaped by revolution. Despite personal and geopolitical challenges, both artists have remained committed to creative expression for decades. Nodjoumi’s surreal paintings critique political power, while Hagigat’s evocative etchings address women’s struggle for freedom. Inspired by the HBO documentary A Revolution on Canvas, co-directed by their daughter Sara Nodjoumi, the exhibitions delve into the international controversy of 120 missing artworks in Iran, a pivotal moment that changed their lives. The story of this immigrant family reflects the deep personal toll of political turmoil.
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In the exhibition of the Palestinian-Danish video and installation artist Larissa Sansour, past, present and possible future meet in a dark, expressive way. Political yet universal human themes are interwoven with imagined realities, using the narrative techniques of science fiction, documentary and opera. From the loss of the Palestinian people to the ongoing threat of environmental catastrophe, the exhibition expands into studies of grief, memory, and inherited trauma. Through her work, Sansour reimagines the history of a nation on the brink of annihilation and of her homeland.
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“Consider” is an analog, imageless film critiquing the distorted portrayal of war in media. It contrasts the ongoing genocide in Gaza with its televised representation, observed by the artist from Brazil. The film is perforated to symbolize the 40,000 martyrs, each light puncture representing them. These points of light resemble distant stars, emphasizing the vastness of loss and the inadequacy of media to capture it. The silent film loops from 10 AM to 7 PM, Saturday to Thursday. The artist, Ж, explores how capitalism shapes perception and memory, using films, installations, writings, performances, and interventions.
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In solidarity with Palestine, Darat al Funun presents “Under Fire,” a display of drawings by four artists in Gaza. Despite daily bombardments and forced displacement, these artists continued to draw, using whatever materials they could find—dry ball pens, school notebooks, medical packages, and natural dyes like tea and pomegranates. Their works bear witness to the genocidal war they are living through, with no end in sight. The exhibition showcases drawings by Basil, Raed, Majed, and Sohail, salvaged from the destruction of war.
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How is a nation created? Aseel AlYaqoub explores the nation as imagined or invented, shaped by heritage sites, postage imagery, military ceremonies, maps and architecture. The exhibition marks the first presentation of a decade-long series of works engaging with symbols and narratives related to Kuwaiti nationhood and Arab identity, spanning from the postcolonial era to the present.
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Tala Madani’s first solo exhibition in Washington State presents all-new work commissioned by the Henry Gallery, continuing her exploration of symbols, language, and power dynamics in society. Known for her provocative paintings and installations, Madani blends humor with critical insight, often depicting vulnerable, violent, and perplexed human figures. Her characters inhabit detailed, dream-like spaces that evoke the unconscious. Madani’s use of light as a medium exposes and reveals, while new works, including mural-like paintings and film-strip animations, deepen her practice. Visitors are immersed in a multi-sensory experience, engaging with her fantastical characters and uncanny imagery.
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Until This Elegy Ends by Joe Namy reflects on resilience amid the genocidal war in Palestine and Lebanon. Documenting ancient olive orchards in Deir Mimas, sound sculptures, and collaborations with Palestinian musicians, Namy traces survival through land, memory, and sound. His works mourn loss yet echo persistence, embodying memory as an active force against erasure and colonial violence.
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In the exhibition, artists encourage us to view our cities and landscapes from a primarily four-legged perspective. Bringing together more than 40 artists and collectives, drawing from politics, history, economics and urbanism, the exhibition is a playful yet serious exploration of human-animal relationships in these shared geographies.
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“Entertainment in Public,” an interdisciplinary art project by Taha Zaker, is presented at Dayhim Art Society in collaboration with Rischee29. Curated by Hoda Sargordan, the project delves into the historical role of the guillotine in executions, transforming it into a sensory exhibition experience.
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Monira Al Qadiri is an international artist whose practice explores topics as diverse as ancient history and the possibilities of new technologies, always with a critical yet playful point of view. Bozar presents her first solo exhibition in Belgium, titled The Archaeology of Beasts. Consisting of new digital creations commissioned for this occasion, Al Qadiri is taking a new visual turn, inspired by the Gods and Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. Interweaving ancient myths and recent facts connected to climate change, Al Qadiri’s works oscillate between humour and beauty, often with an underlying violence. For this exhibition she is asking us to reflect on who qualifies as Human and who as Beast.
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Atefeh Ahmadi describes Rahmanian’s work as seeking new connections between things, ideas, and the world. Rooted in the literary and visual culture of Iran, Rahmanian’s paintings embody the semiotics of Persian poetry, materializing elusive concepts through painterly “figures of speech.” Influenced by Khayyam’s meditations on the cyclic dance of existence, her work often uses the circle as a symbol. She also incorporates personifications from Persian proverbs and satirical humor. Rahmanian’s art begins with everyday moments, such as the impression of teeth on an apple, reflecting a sensory, tactile connection to memory and materiality.
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Hamra Abbas, renowned for her intricate and evocative works that explore themes of displacement, identity, and the passage of time, employs a meticulous approach to craft, drawing inspiration from both historical and contemporary sources. This exhibition presents a series of marble inlays that reimagine the idea of garden as a site of both historical and personal memory.
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The Pejman Foundation: Argo Factory presents Solipsistic Night Visions, Observerless Observations, featuring works by Mimi Amini, spanning four decades of her career. Paintings, sculptures, and virtual reality videos explore Amini’s “Dreamy Geography,” where pathways and meanings connect seamlessly. Known for her multidisciplinary approach, Amini creates dynamic interactions between artist, observer, and artwork, blurring two and three dimensions. The exhibition coincides with a bilingual book release, including essays and artwork. Curated by Mimi Amini, it invites viewers to an immersive journey of narrative, medium, and space.
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The exhibition reflects here on a moment when history seems to echo itself. Using an object that often comes back in various forms in Taysir Batniji’s practice, the installation presents a series of images of keys, belonging to residents of Gaza, with each set connected to a specific place and person through the handwritten captions under the photographs. Capturing traces of lost, abandoned, or destroyed lives and homes, the work evokes the universal woes of the human condition.
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Cavin-Morris Gallery presents a solo exhibition of Iranian master Davood Koochaki’s drawings. Born in 1939 in Gilan, Iran, Koochaki led a challenging life, working in rice paddies as a child and later becoming an auto mechanic. He began drawing in his 40s, dedicating himself to it seriously in his 60s. Influenced by Persian folklore, his works often depict the eternal struggle between good and evil, using animals as symbolic representations. Koochaki’s Art Brut-style drawings explore personal memories, anxieties, and joys, presenting a raw, unfiltered expression of the human condition. His art encapsulates contrasts, blending darkness and light.
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Curiosity towards northern geographies and observations out there, which have played a major role in the development of scientific awareness about climate change, constitute the starting point of the exhibition “Northward“. Featuring works created by artists after their travels to northern countries, the exhibition includes recent works by Ali Alışır, Murat Germen and Ali Kazma, as well as Deniz Gül‘s installation inviting the viewers to consider ice as an object of contemplation.
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“Love Labor Leverage” is a sculpture exhibition by Ali Ansari at Delgosha Gallery from the 10th of January to the 9th of February.
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“Walking Through the Darkness – Part 2,” presented by SARAI Gallery features the latest works by Ali Zakeri. This exhibition continues Zakeri’s exploration of human vulnerability and struggle, expanding on themes from his earlier works. Known for his figural representations and symbolic boxers, Zakeri now adopts a contemplative tone, capturing ambiguous, suspended moments. A shift to a green-dominant palette reflects his immersion in nature, while his intuitive process of creation and destruction defines this compelling series, offering a meditation on resilience and fragility.
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The exhibition invites viewers to explore the delicate balance between the familiar and the unknown. The works avoid fixed meanings, offering parts of stories and emotions that change with each viewer’s memories and interpretations. They encourage reflection on how we create meaning in a divided world. Basim Magdy, known for his paintings, films, and lens-based works, presents a collection of photographs, both old and new.
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“Voices of Feathers, Voices of Daggers” showcases recent paintings by Iranian-born Vancouver-based artist Mohadeseh Movahed. Her work delves into the complexities of a polarized society, where constant encounters and conflicts emerge. Movahed reimagines public and private spaces as battlegrounds for dualities like power versus resistance and presence versus erasure. Walls in her paintings symbolize control, yet street art and graffiti subvert these boundaries, offering platforms for defiance. Figures and shadows in her work embody fragile yet persistent voices, challenging the dominance of more forceful, oppressive forces.
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From Doha to Damascus, AI-backed tools are revolutionizing journalism, augmenting the creation, distribution and consumption of media. However, the motives behind AI’s use remain contentious, with concerns about deception, undermining public trust and perpetuating societal divisions. Through evidence-based storytelling, data visualization, case studies and artistic interpretations, the exhibition explores four key themes: Hindsight, Insight, Oversight and Foresight.
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Galerie Tanit Beirut presents Bittersweet Symphony, its first exhibition of 2025. This group show features over 20 artists the gallery has collaborated with, reflecting on the challenges of the past year. The exhibition, filled with diverse media and themes, symbolizes renewal and resilience. It serves as a tribute to past hardships while celebrating the exceptional artistry—both local and international—that continues to inspire and transcend.
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AlUla Arts Festival returns for its fourth edition with exhibitions, dance and music performances, workshops, talks, and specially curated programmes for over four weeks in AlJadidah Arts District. Feel the power of works by renowned international and regional artists in a one-of-a-kind convergence of creative minds.
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A solo exhibition by the renowned Syrian artist Noor Bahjat. The eleven artworks traverse the blurred edges of reality, presenting layered compositions that invite quiet contemplation from the audience. Her paintings evoke whispers of lost cities and fractured histories, drawing visitors into an enigmatic exploration of longing and resilience. This exhibition transforms the gallery space into a realm where memory, urban landscapes, and the intangible threads of identity converge.
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In 2014, Arash Fayez was arrested by US Immigration Enforcement officers for overstaying his student visa. Three years later, still unresolved, he left for London, receiving a 312-page immigration dossier upon arrival. This exhibition juxtaposes official records with photographs from the same period, creating a layered narrative. One side tracks the repetitive administrative process, while the other captures everyday moments of life in limbo. The title “Apolis” refers to the Greek term for “without city, state, or country,” reflecting the complex legal status: “not illegal, but not legal either.”
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Taha Heydari’s solo exhibition 12 Volt Fire explores moments from the 1979 Iranian Revolution, reframing it as a dynamic network of socio-political, technological, and mythical forces. Using a mechanical painting style, Heydari blends archival material with digital imagery, creating vibrant scenes where forms hover between presence and absence. His work questions the role of images as active agents in historical events, from Khomeini’s collective vision to personal photographs sent by his sister in Iran. Through these works, Heydari critically examines the socio-political impact of the revolution, revealing its complexity and absurdity.
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Charlotte Eta Mumm’s solo exhibition “Sought by Shadows” presents new works exploring perception, shifting dimensions, and the interplay between the tangible and intangible. Central to the exhibition are Mumm’s layered paper works created during her 2024 residency in Senegal, where dense networks of painted lines and pyrographic drawings reflect the environment’s fleeting impressions of light and texture. The works invite viewers to perceive beyond the surface. Also featured are her ‘Lasso’ series of shaped canvas paintings, where personal dimensions are used to map abstract ideas. Complementing these are ‘so oft so soft’ ceramic objects, tactile forms evoking both physical and emotional dimensions.
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In Limen, Monaiseer and Elsisi explore space-times of in-betweenness: of being neither here nor there, of belonging to this world while existing irretrievably beyond it. Central to the exhibition is the concept of liminality in ritual anthropology which resonates with the artist’s long-time meditation on barzakh — an Islamic theological term describing a realm of in-betweenness and transformation. Often associated with the space between life and death, barzakh also evokes broader thresholds: between land and sea, saltwater and freshwater, root and tip, the material and the metaphysical.
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Project “Absence: Reflections on Annihilation” by Dayhim Art Society, is a conceptual and theory-based project inspired by Derrida’s theory of Absence. This multimedia art exhibition features the participation of 19 artists, exploring the concept of absence and its implications. Through various artistic expressions, the project delves into the philosophical notion of annihilation, inviting viewers to engage with the themes of presence and absence in a thought-provoking and visually dynamic way.
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“Four Items, Four Horizons from Freedom to Individuality” is a group exhibition by four pioneer painters: Massoud Arabshahi, Marcos Grigorian, Sirak Melkonian, and Sadegh Tabrizi. The exhibition will be held at Mah Art Gallery from January 17 to February 24.
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An exhibition of works by Shahpari Behzadi at Emrooz Gallery showcases her lifelong dedication to abstract art. With over 20 years of artistic exploration, including residencies and exhibitions across Europe and Iran, Behzadi’s recent series draws inspiration from Persian architecture and historical geometry. Her textured, large-scale paintings transform forms like squares and circles into unified compositions, combining structure and space. Known for her formal abstraction, this collection reflects her refined approach to blending cultural motifs with a modern artistic lens.
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A group exhibition entitled “Evolution” takes place at Merci Galerie from January 17 to February 7, curated by Mohaddeseh Saadat. Featuring works by 14 artists, including Saeed Ahmadzadeh, Ojan Shirojan, Siamak Azmi, Sadegh Adham, Davood Teymouj, Hamed Norouzi, Barana Saadat, Ali Rahimi, Azin Zolfaghari, Aboosaeid Asadi, Amirali Momen, Payam Ghorbani, Yaghma Sorousheh, and Hossein Bavi.
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Exhibiting Falapishi’s deskilled panels alongside photorealistic paintings and bold ceramic sculptures, “Edge of the World” showcases the remarkable range of his practice as he explores the possibilities for visual representation. His works cannibalize reference material—from Surrealists to Spaghetti Western films—creating a composite of signs and signifiers. Deconstructing the vulnerabilities within both the act of viewing and being viewed, the exhibition is insightful, humorous, art historically allusive, and stylistically multifaceted.
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Rooted in themes of spatial identity, personal history, and the emotional interplay between individuals and everyday objects, this exhibition investigates how the act of belonging transforms both people and places. Through the guiding question, “Where do I feel I belong?” Özlem Yenigül centers her creative lens on the concept of home, employing traditional domestic techniques such as tufting and punch-needle embroidery.
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+2 presents “Kanoon,” a solo exhibition by Sahand Hesamiyan. Known for works inspired by Islamic and Iranian architecture, Hesamiyan reinterprets the minaret, exploring its historical and cultural dimensions. “Kanoon” delves into the minaret’s conceptual essence, linking its role in guiding caravans with its symbolism of power and identity. Hesamiyan (b.1977, Tehran) holds a B.A. in Sculpture from the University of Tehran. His sculptures, merging science, geometry, and spirituality, are featured in public spaces globally and collections like the Victoria and Albert Museum and Delfina Entrecanales Collection.
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Shahram Karimi (b.1957, Iran) is a self-taught artist from Shiraz whose works bridge Iranian tradition and Western art. His art has been exhibited in Iran, Turkey, Germany, the UK, the US, and Switzerland. Karimi’s practice reflects globalism, combining Persian Miniature traditions with influences from abstract, minimal, and conceptual Western art. His unique style transcends cultural boundaries, merging narrative and inscription with minimal abstraction. Rejecting perspective like classical Persian Miniatures, his work connects visual iconography to both his cultural roots and his life in exile.
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“Instructions for…” at Didar Art Gallery examines the creation of art based on artist-provided guidelines, where directions serve as abstract models needing audience interaction to take form. These instructions—delivered through language or images—invite participation, enabling viewers to co-create and shape the artwork. This approach, central to the project, becomes both a life exercise and a way to confront new situations. It highlights democratic interpretations, redefining art as an invitation to think and act. The show fosters collaboration, bridging creativity between the artist and the audience. Curators: Baharak Omidfard & Akram Ahmadi Tavana.
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“Trace” by Mahboubeh Khanbabaei (Mah) at Sharif Gallery explores the theme of doubt and its constant presence in life. The artist reflects on how, after struggling with uncertainty, she embraced coexistence with ambiguity. The works, created through layering surfaces, symbolize the ongoing presence of doubt, sometimes visible through cracks and other times hidden under layers. The concept of “ataraxia,” an ancient Greek philosophy about accepting uncertainty and avoiding certainty to find peace, resonates in the collection. Through this, the artist seeks liberation, embracing doubt and its continuous presence in life.
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“Contrast” a solo show by Banafsheh Ahmadzadeh at Ba Gallery, reflects her two-decade-long journey in illustration. Contrast has always been central to her process, starting with the first stains on paper, where points and lines shape the image. Over time, storytelling took a backseat, allowing contrast to become the focus, independent of narrative. Geometry, especially inspired by Iranian architecture, became her tool to explore visual balance. The works in this exhibition represent her journey of organizing contrast, transforming it into a geometric exploration free from narrative constraints.
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The exhibition reflects years of exploration in Bandar Anzali, blending photography, video, and installation to portray the region’s fading geography and ecosystem. It includes archival photos, urban objects, and symbols of the past, creating a shared space for reflection on what was, is, and may soon vanish. Begun in 2019, the ongoing project evokes the city’s essence and invites viewers to connect with its narrative of change and decay.
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Gazelli Art House opens its 2025 program with Lilly Fenichel’s first UK solo exhibition. Fenichel’s work reflects a defiant spirit, resisting art market pressures and embodying independence in mid-century abstraction. Her expressive canvases, sculptures, and drawings reveal relentless curiosity and creative evolution. Works like Untitled E (1967), Arioso (1988), and Untitled #23 (2008) showcase geometric abstraction, sculptural mastery, and material innovation. Critics such as Susan Landauer and Juri Koll highlight Fenichel’s profound impact, describing her as a rebel who forged her own artistic path, leaving a legacy of freedom and resistance.
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A Shroud is a Cloth by Adrian Pepe explores themes of memory, renewal, and material transformation using a woolen textile that previously wrapped a building damaged in the 2020 Beirut Port Explosion • The Lebanon-based Honduran artist’s practice highlights the relationship between materials, cultural landscapes, and ecological intimacy, presenting a poetic dialogue on transformation and resilience.
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Emakan Gallery presents an exhibition by Berlin-based artist Mona Pourebrahim from January 31 to February 14, 2025. Pourebrahim studied fine arts in Tehran, Münster, and Dresden, completing her Meisterschüler at the Academy of Fine Arts Dresden. Her work has been shown in numerous solo and group exhibitions across Germany and Europe.
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Etel Adnan (1925–2021) was a celebrated author, poet, and artist. Known for seamlessly blending writing and art, her paintings gained prominence after dOCUMENTA 13 (2012). Solo shows include K20, Düsseldorf (2023), Van Gogh Museum (2022), SFMoMA (2018), Institut du Monde Arabe (2016), and more. Group shows featured her work at MoMA, NY (2017), Sharjah Biennial (2015), and Istanbul Biennial (2015). Her art is in public collections like MoMA, Centre Pompidou, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, and Mathaf, Qatar. Adnan’s tapestries also adorn public and private spaces worldwide.
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Sharjah Biennial 16, titled “to carry,” is a multivocal, open‐ended invitation to explore diverse formations and the many ways we bear histories, memories, and dreams. It challenges us to reflect on what we carry when we travel, flee, or remain, linking precarious present spaces with intergenerational legacies and imagined futures. Through a range of curatorial practices—from residencies and workshops to sonic experiments and expanded publications—the Biennial becomes a collective wayfinding process. In this threshold of dialogue and experimentation, art and community converge to share stories of resilience and transformation. Each work deeply echoes hope, and relentless renewal in fine art.
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In its sixth edition, Art Cairo takes place from 7-11 February 2025 at the Grand Egyptian Museum. This year marks Dar Al-Anda’s first international art fair participation in almost a decade. This exhibition showcases an exclusive collection of new works from some of the region’s most celebrated contemporary artists, including Ghadeer Saeed (Jordan), Shereen Quttaineh (Jordan), Saddam Jumaily (Iraq), Jafer Taoun (Iraq), Amar Dawod (Iraq), and Qais Eesa (Iraq). These artists bring to life the stories, emotions, and cultures of the region through their innovative and thought-provoking creations.
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A live performance of ‘digital kinetic painting’ and improvised music highlights the pioneering work of Samia Halaby (b.1936, Jerusalem). An early innovator in digital art, she uses 1980s self-taught technologies and an Amiga 1000 programme to bring abstraction into motion. Her performances redefine painting by uniting space, time, and movement. Guohan Zeng, a Ningbo-born, Nottingham-based musician, contributes sounds rooted in organic grooves and global influences. This unique collaboration is followed by a Q&A with Halaby, moderated by Liv Penrose Punnett.
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