Nadya Shanab, manager of Ubuntu, explains how taking risks by giving emerging and lesser-known talent a platform is a key part of the art gallery’s philosophyNadya Shanab with Omar Gabr's doorThe founders of Ubuntu Art Gallery set out to push boundaries when they opened the two-storey space in Cairo to the public in 2014 and the list of artists...

Dr Weaam El Masry, co-founder of the Easel and Camera Gallery, talks to ArtScoops about how the art world has benefited from the pandemic-related trend to breathe new life into both indoor and outdoor living spaces Weaam El MasryWhile Covid-19 has taken its toll on much of the global art industry, the Easel and Camera Gallery has gone from...

Fadi Basbous, director of the Alfred Basbous Foundation, reflects on a year in which he hopes the region’s Modernists have inspired the next wave of artists, providing them with the strength to persevere. As has proved to be true for so many of us in 2020, the slower tempo of lockdown provided Fadi Basbous, Director of the Basbous Foundation,...

Marion Boehm’s current show titled ‘Embrace’ reveals the great affection and admiration she has for Africa – both its people and heritage – and acknowledges the wonderful welcome she received thereComing up with a title for a show is often a challenge for artists, given its significance on so many levels. However, when Marion Boehm chose the...

Fantastic selection of art showcased in fundraising sale for Armenian refugeesMany of us will remember how we celebrated special occasions in 2020, with Covid-19 having curtailed so many of our plans, but Lara Arslanian’s birthday, which fell on October 7, in the second week of the Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict, will stay in her mind for an...

All-encompassing themes that resonate with audiences and a love for literature are what inspire the artist Sacha Abou Khalil Moving from dentistry to art is quite a leap! Did you paint when still working in the health industry?I’ve always loved painting; I used to paint on Sundays to unwind and that’s now my only day off, which shows just how...

Ahmad Minkara talks to Kamiar Maleki about how a combination of family wisdom and personal innovation paved the way for him to evolve from young collector to successful curator and art fair directorA cursory glance at the list of art collected by Kamiar Maleki and his parents over the decades reveals it to be as varied as, and perhaps reflective...

We’re keen to give people something to smile about - Ali Güreli, CI ChairmanGiven the gargantuan challenges that 2020 has thrown at the art world, it seems somewhat fitting that this year’s Contemporary Istanbul (CI) has chosen the importance of global connectivity as one of its three themes.Nowhere is this better exemplified than in the format...

Mazen El Rifai talks to ArtScoops about the decades-long lure of the Baalbeck skylines and the conflicts that lie at the heart of his artHow do you think your architectural background has contributed to your career as an artist?I began painting in parallel with my work an architect after finishing my studies, which may help to explain the way in...