How do we navigate finding and reinterpreting our identity within cross cultural contexts and interdisciplinary techniques? Farah Behbehani is a Kuwaiti visual artist and designer who explores this within traditional Islamic and historical elements found across literature, calligraphy and local history and customs. In what ways can we activate the past within the present, and how can this call for bridging cultural and inter-generational divides?
Read moreEp 2 'Whistle While We Work': Move and Shake!
How are movement and dance be an integral part of artists’ practices? What are the variety of ways participating and capturing performance and dance makes us more human and attune to our bodies - in our gender and ethnicity? How do viewers interact with performance?
Read moreDocumentary: Women
Step into a day in the life of Mid East Art! Check out this mini documentary on Suzy’s work an art researcher of the Middle East and specialist at Christie's.
Read moreEp 1 'Whistle While We Work': Fantasize This
How does daydreaming, fantasy, myth-making and childhood nostalgia impact creativity? In what ways does fantasy reinforce an understanding of our realities? How much of this impacts your artwork production? Is it a constant part of your thought process?
Read moreThe Wise Fool: Podcast →
An interview with Suzy on The Wise Fool Podcast, hosted by Matthew Dols, covering her role as a specialist at Christie’s in Dubai and as founder of Mid East Art platform. Conversation shifted from Seinfeld, to the regional art history and market, and the Fulbright Program!
Read moreMid East Art Highlights Art Dubai 2021 - in partnership with artmejo →
Art Dubai’s 14th edition was celebrated as the first in-person art fair to take place internationally between March 29th – April 3rd. Artmejo partnered up with Mid East Art’s Suzy Sikorski as she walked around the exhibition halls doing what she loves—collecting and sharing artists’ stories!
Read moreSuzy Sikorski, Mid East Art founder is featured on 'Zahrat Al Khaleej' : the Leading Women's Magazine in the Arab World
Mid East Art founder Suzy Sikorski is featured in December 2020’s issue of ‘Zahrat Al Khaleej’ (زهرة الخليج) - the leading women's lifestyle magazine in the Arab world today! Read about her early inspirations researching in the Middle East and her current work archiving the Gulf art scene on our digital platform. Tracing her early days along the Sharjah corniche, sunrise photography shoots along Dubai creek, trekking across the country to Khorfakkan, with too many servings of balaleet and luqaimat later!
Read moreThe National article: "Artist Reflections: The cultural programme pairing American and Emirati artists in conversation"
As part of a new series of online talks, two photographers discuss their similar styles, but different subjects. The pair were recently brought together again in a series called Artist Reflections, organised by Dubai art researcher Suzy Sikorski's online platform Mid East Art, on behalf of the UAE Embassy in the US. The programme, which is available online, features the American and Emirati speaking side by side.
Read moreMid East Art collaborates with UAE Embassy's Cultural Diplomacy Department in Washington DC
In collaboration with the UAE Embassy’s Cultural Diplomacy Department in Washington DC, Mid East Art produced as digital programming series throughout the quarantine this spring 2020. A series of artist interviews culminated with a panel discussion, shedding a light on the regional and specifically local UAE art history and the early foundations of the art scene in the country. Stay tuned for the comprehensive coverage!
Read moreEmbracing the Virtual Display: An Interview with Bahraini artist Sheikh Rashid bin Khalifa
Sheikh Rashid Al Khalifa during the 2019 exhibition opening "In Parallel" at Bait Muzna Gallery in Muscat, Oman
How does virtual viewing galleries enhance art appreciation? As part of Mid East Art’s ‘Art & Tech’ series, we interviewed Bahraini artist Sheikh Rashid bin Khalifa on his recent work in the quarantine and his early embrace of virtual art display on Google Arts & Culture.
Read morePODCAST: GALLERY GIRL MEETS MID EAST ART →
Mid East Art takes on Spotify! Gallery Girl Meets Mid East Art. “In this episode of the Gallery Girl podcast, we speak to Suzy Sikorski, founder of Mid East Art, an online platform that acts as both an art historical archive and periodical featuring a comprehensive coverage of interviews and exhibition reviews of artists from the Middle East.”
Read moreGulf Today: "UAE, USA to unitedly discuss online the art of building bridges"
by Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer. “Mid East Art, the art platform founded and run by Dubai-based Suzy Sikorski that acts as both an art historical archive and periodical featuring a comprehensive coverage of interviews and exhibition reviews of artists from the Middle East, has announced that it will partner with the UAE Embassy’s Cultural Diplomacy Department in Washington DC on a series of digital programming.”
Read moreIntroducing: 'The Art & Tech' series
Covering interviews with artists, gallery owners, museums and foundations on the impact of the digital in their line of work during these isolating days. Reflected across the art market and educational initiatives, the series unveils some cutting-edge topics, from artificial intelligence to virtual reality in artworks, exhibitions and auctions that has since been accelerated as we embrace current and new technologies.
Read moreMid East Art Presents on UAE Youth x Hub
Suzy Sikorski was invited by the UAE Youth x Hub, an initiative by the country’s Ministry of Youth to introduce her Mid East Art platform in an online webinar presentation. Sharing the archival work she’s done since 2016 documenting in film and text the local pioneer art scene in the UAE, Suzy also touched upon her current research and writing projects during the quarantine, including her Artist in Quarantine series and Quarantine Files.
Read moreQuarantine Newsletter: Introduction
Welcome to the 'Quaran-themed' Newsletter! Delivering a pocketful of sunshine in writing, video, photography and poetry during these uncertain times. Where are we running to or from these days? Jump into the newsletter highlights and enjoy the latest reads.
Read moreJumping and Swinging back into Hassan Sharif's 1980s Performances: An Interview with Mohamed Sharif, the Artist's Nephew
Jump into week 7 of the quarantine with Emirati artist Hassan Sharif in his early 1980s performances in Dubai and London! Finding a few parallels to our methodical and rather mundane day-to-days in self-isolation, we are reminded of Hassan’s carefully constructed activities rooted in Fluxus and British Constructivist thought. We sit down (virtually) with his nephew Mohamed Sharif to discuss the role of performance in his uncle’s practice and Mohamed’s archival work at the Artist’s Estate.
Read moreGulf Photo Plus: Artist Relief Print Sale
Suzy’s photograph was selected for an open call from UAE-based Gulf Photo Plus in their COVID-19 Artist Relief Print Sale. In an effort to support and celebrate the local freelancing creative community in the UAE, an unlimited edition of 10 x 15’’ prints from a select group of photographers and creatives in the country were available for purchase running for two weeks in mid-April.
Read morePresenting 'Artists in Quarantine' : Finding Creativity in Self-Isolation
Introducing the ‘Artists in Quarantine’ series that is documenting artists from the region who are finding creativity in self-isolating times. What are artists doing while under quarantine in their studio and creative spaces? The series featured in short episodes on Instagram and MEA blog includes photos, short videos and inspiring quotes—opening a window into these artists’ intimate spaces to see how they have been creatively coping.
Read moreSomewhere 'Betwixt and In-Between' - An Interview with Munira Al Sayegh
While unraveling time-warped thoughts one month into the quarantine, Suzy interviews Munira Al Sayegh on her experience curating ‘Bayn’ with UAE Unlimited in 2017. Reflecting on this shared ‘in-between-ness’ sensation, their conversation trails from their personal lives growing up in Abu Dhabi and New York and Munira’s takeaway moments of her first-ever curated show.
Read moreHope is Contagious in Prison: Inji Efflatoun in Isolation between 1959-1963, Egypt
‘The Quarantine Files’ series presents of the most inspiring stories of the pioneer Egyptian female artist Inji Efflatoun during her time as a political prisoner in jail from 1959-1963. Including first hand accounts from Inji herself, this article is a story of how bravery, perseverance and ingenuity lead to self-discovery and artistic explorations —all while confined and quarantined within a jail cell. Hope is just as contagious these days - read on.
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