Current Articles
Editorial
Island Art
Artist Ali Lamu uses recycled dhow sails as a community-boosting canvas for his Kenyan hometown An Omani protectorate during the 19th and 20th century, vestiges of Lamu’s golden age can still be seen throughout the Kenyan island today. The warren of narrow alleyways are lined with monumental Islamic houses and beautifully crafted dhow ships,…
Editorial
A Regional Resurgence
Now entering its third year, Mathaf is sending out a message to the rest of the world that fits with Qatar’s dynamic new role On a flat dusty outback of Qatar that will soon be part of Doha’s rapidly sprawling suburbs stands Mathaf, one of a network of museums the Gulf state is fielding…
Editorial
Rebel Girl
Egyptian singer Maryam Saleh is bringing some raw power to the Cairo underground music scene Egyptian singer Maryam Saleh is a fiery figure in Cairo’s underground music scene. Blending Egypt’s musical heritage with sounds of the present, Saleh takes inspiration from two enigmatic figures of the city’s past: Sheikh Iman and Ahmed Fouad Negm. …
Editorial
Pursuit of Youth
As an incubator for Palestine’s thriving creative community, the Qattan Foundation in Ramallah has paved the way for young voices Some might argue that a place ravaged by conflict does not always make the most fertile ground for ingenuity, but taking a closer look at Palestine might make one believe the old adage that…
Editorial
Vicious Stroke
Hard-hitting yet beautiful, Ayman Baalbaki’s paintings offer a glimpse into the turmoil he had experienced during a lifetime of conflict The past few decades of struggle in Lebanon have inspired a plethora of artists who have lived through the country’s tortured history. Painter Ayman Baalbaki is one who needs no introduction. Over the last…
Editorial
Hidden Treasure
A former Soviet city on the old Silk Road, it’s easy to fall for Tashkent’s culture clash charm Almost any cityscape in Uzbekistan is enough to make you draw your breath. The detailed mosaics of the ancient cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khavi are centuries old and testament to the great trading route The Silk Road. In more…
Space Invader
A self-proclaimed ‘Gulf futurist’, Sophia Al Maria’s hotly anticipated literary debut is not your usual Arab-American memoir It’s Sophia’s first day at her new school and, like most teenage girls, she’s feeling self-conscious about what she’s wearing. The public school uniform under her ill-fitting abaya suddenly seems out of place as a glossy clique…
Young Blood
Fierce and fresh, London-based fashion designer Mayada Khammu is giving hip hop some Bedouin swagger Hip hop, 1980s Brooklyn, Bedouin motifs and modern London are just a few of the influences on the moodboard of Mayada Khammu. Full of fierce urban attitude, the 24-year-old fashion designer draws on both her South West London upbringing…
Exploding the Rules
An architectural feat filled with antiques, The Exploded House has sidestepped the laws of the Bodrum landscape Driving through Bodrum and up the switchback roads through the hills that lead to the Exploded House, owner and resident Vedat Semiz is in a good mood as he describes the building project, which was completed in 2001…
Seeing SALT
A mammoth art enterprise occupying two historical buildings in old Istanbul, since opening in 2011 SALT has proved itself as a truly 21st century institution Rare is the cultural institution that combines an edible rooftop garden with a public library, walk-in cinema, e-publishing empire, gourmet restaurant and thousands of square metres of exhibition space, all…