It is 20 years since Sunny Rahbar, Claudia Cellini and Omar Ghobash joined forces to open The Third Line, a contemporary art gallery in Dubai. It was 2005, and a time when outlets for creativity from the Middle East and wider region were much needed in the simmering aftermath of 9/11.

One of the greatest artists from the Middle East, Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian has passed away at the age of 96. As tributes begin to flow in, here is mine.

For the launch of the newly renovated Tahrir Cultural Center in the American University of Cairo, Shiva Balaghi curated a show of two prominent Egyptian artists: Sherin Guirguis and Huda Lutfi.

Nima Nabavi is interested in the possibilities of infinite geometry.

Huda Lutfi’s third solo show at The Third Line in Dubai was a quiet moment in her sometimes outspoken practice, but sometimes, the loudest messages come through in silence.

As part of an investigation into the use of Arabic script in art, I peered into the practice of Hassan Hajjaj to find out more about his fusion of Pop and Arabic culture and his overriding positivity.

Nicky Nodjoumi’s use of satire, found imagery and political commentary makes Fractures a hard hitting show that also pays homage to his first and foremost priority: painting.

Abbas Akhavan talks site specificity, gardens and security in this podcast interview that I did for Alserkal Avenue in light of his latest exhibition at The Third Line

Al Sawaber is a portrait of an abandoned housing complex in Kuwait. Tarek Al Ghoussein shows the life that used to inhabit the building through a series of images focusing on objects, interiors and architectural details. 

Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian is a doyenne of Iranian art and is best known for her stunning geometric, mirror mosaic works. A museum dedicated to her personal collection is opening in Tehran next week 

As the new art season approaches in Dubai, three very different solo shows have some unexpected parallels and point to a regional aesthetic.

London-based photographic artist Hassan Hajjaj will open a solo show in Somerset House in October as part of 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair. La Caravane will open October 5

In a podcast interview with Dexter Wimberly, Anna Seaman discusses cultural hybridity and how it affects our identity to live in a multicultural world. The conversation was in the context of The Third Line's exhibition A Fast Moving Sky