is the name of a group show on theme of cultural hybridity (isn’t all culture a hybrid?) that opens today. It features the legendary Al Braithwaite, along with Aya Haidar, Shezad Dawood, Lale Tara, Mohamed Abdulla, Sonia Balassian; it’s at Belgravia House, London, and closes on 31 October.

that might be good. In London, ‘Muniments: Iran’, by Afshin Dehkordi is at Black Dog Space, 10a Acton Street, WC1X 9NG, 1 October – 10 November. For a taster: http://dehkordi.co.uk/ (but avoid the terrible press release if you can). Also in London is Parastou Forouhar, Leighton House, 1 October – 6 November, some images should be on Rose Issa’s website. Continue reading →

This should be v good. Saudi Arabia’s original doctor-cum-artistic-superstar, Ahmed Mater, has his first solo show in Britain. 11 October – 30 October at 51 Poland Street, London. More here.

Exciting for anyone interested in Middle Eastern art,  in particular just how it is described, criticized, documented, produced. http://www.artterritories.net/ was launched earlier this month.

When writing about contemporary art in Saudi Arabia, again and again the artists I met moaned about the lack of venues or institutions dealing with the critical discussion of contemporary art… They’ll certainly like this.

Was looking forward to this a lot. It’s a history of the Mizrahim – Jews of Middle Eastern origin. Now not so sure. Lukewarm reviews. Here’s one in the FT.