All We Can Do Is Mend

In the once densely populated northwestern quarter of Gaza City, Qasr Al Basha was erected in the 13th century as a fortress for a Mamluk sultan. Its limestone structure, geometric patterns, domes, and intersecting vaults endured for centuries. It bore witness to the rise and fall of the Ottoman Empire, once housed Napoleon Bonaparte during his military campaign to Egypt, and later served as a police station during World War I. Abandoned in 1967, the building was placed under UN protection in 1998 and opened as Gaza’s national museum in 2010. By the end of 2023, the palace had been severely damaged, resulting in the loss of thousands of historical artefacts.

FeaturesAnna SeamanNovember 3, 2025Bukhara Biennal, Dana Awartani, Venice Biennale

A Porous Practice: Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim

One of the most prolific artists in the UAE, Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim crafts his work in the mountains of Sharjah’s Khorfakkan and represents his nation at the 2022 Venice Biennale.

Curators selected for UAE National Pavilion 2020

The curators for the 2020 UAE National Pavilion will curate an exhibition around the theme of sea salt. Wael Al Awar and Kenichi Teramoto will present an exhibition exploring sea salt as a traditional, locally-sourced building material, and its potential uses for developing sustainable habitation in desert environments like the UAE.

NewsAnna SeamanSeptember 26, 2019National Pavilion UAE, Wael Al Awar, Kenichi Teramoto, ibda design, Venice Biennale

Lorenzo Quinn: Artist for the people

Lorenzo Quinn is a world renowned sculptor whose signature trademark - the human hand - has allowed people to connect with his work from far and wide. I interviewed him for Shawati Magazine.

The UAE National Pavilion at Venice: a combination of poetry and filmmaking

Nujoom Alghanem will represent the UAE at the Venice Biennale. I spoke to the curators Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath about their choice and the artist’s practice.

New curators chosen for the UAE Venice Pavilion 2019

Curatorial pairing Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath chosen to curate the UAE’s National Pavilion for the 2019 Venice Biennale.

News, Most PopularAnna SeamanOctober 3, 2018Sam Bardaouil, Till Fellrath, Venice Biennale, National Pavilion UAE

Looking for a new curator for UAE Pavilion in Venice

Are you an architect or designer with a curatorial leaning? The UAE’s National Pavilion is looking for a curator for the 2020 edition.

NewsAnna SeamanSeptember 13, 2018Venice Biennale, National Pavilion UAE

Plan for A Feminist Greater Baghdad

Art Jameel and Delfina Foundation are teaming up for simultaneous exhibitions in London and Dubai with newly commissioned work from Ala Younis

Saudi Pavilion at Venice looking for contributions

The commissioners of the Saudi Pavilion for the 2018 Venice Biennale are looking for submissions for their exhibition exploring the freedom of architecture.

NewsAnna SeamanJanuary 1, 2018Saudi Arabia, Misk Art Institute, Un/Design, Venice Biennale, 2018 Venice Biennale

Egyptian Pavilion announces theme for Venice 2018

The Egyptian Pavilion at Venice Architecture Biennale will explore the concept of the informal city in today's digital age.

News, Editor's PicksAnna SeamanDecember 27, 2017Egypt Pavilion, Venice Biennale, Roba Becciah

Venice Biennale and the Arab World

A two-day conference in Venice will discuss the relationship between the Italian city and artists from the Arab world.

Supermarket shelves to seascapes at the 57th Venice Biennale

In Christine Macel's statement for the current (57th) edition of the Venice Biennale she wrote: "Today, in a world full of conflicts and shocks, art bears witness to the most precious part of what makes us human. Art is the ultimate ground for reflection, individual expression, freedom, and for fundamental questions."

On Existentialism and Materiality with Tony Cragg

"My interest is not what things look like, but why they look like that," he says. "I don’t want to represent something or reproduce something we are already familiar with. I want to be involved with the internal structure of the material."