In Morocco, a taxi is more than a way to get from A to B. From colour-coded city cars to the legendary Mercedes-Benz “Merci dix,” discover the unwritten rules, shared journeys, and cultural stories behind Morocco’s unique taxi system.
Read moreDear Diary: 'All Smoke Kills'
In this edition of Dear Diary, Sofia A writes about surviving war, losing love, losing work, and the strange guilt of wanting to be happy while the world keeps falling apart.
After years of postponing her life for a “better time,” it took a hairdryer, a trip to Kite Beach, and a box of forgotten oil pastels to make her realize: maybe there will never be a right time.
And maybe that’s exactly why we should stop waiting.
Read moreDear Diary: ‘I Forgot to Tie My Shoes”
In this Dear Diary entry, our narrator wakes up at 4:30 in the morning and decides to see the world at dawn, without her phone, without a plan, and perhaps without realizing that she is really trying to escape her own thoughts.
Read moreDear Diary: 'The Evenings I’ll Miss One Day'
In this Dear Diary entry, Aisha Esmaeilzadeh reflects on an ordinary evening by the water in the UAE, and why it became a memory she would eventually understand the importance of.
No celebration. No milestone. Nothing worth remembering, or so it seemed.
But years later, she finds herself thinking about the fading sunlight, the skyline in the distance, the silence between people she loves, and all the ordinary moments we never realize we are going to miss.
Maybe the moments that matter most are the ones we almost forget to photograph.
Read moreDear Diary: 'A Place Like No Other'
For more than forty years, Hussain Ali Al Khawaldi served Arabic coffee from the same small stand on Dubai’s Naif Street. Through his photograph, Aisha Esmaeilzadeh reflects on the quiet rituals, familiar faces, and everyday moments that make a city feel like home — and what remains when those places disappear.
Read moreThe Somatic Archive: A Comparative Analysis of Traditional Tattooing (Daqq) in the Arab World and Greater Mesopotamia
Before tattoos became a form of self-expression, they could tell a person’s story-- their tribe, their marriage, their beliefs, and the world they belonged to. From the blue-green markings of Iraqi women to the disappearing tattoos of Amazigh communities, explore the ancient art of daqq and the generations of memory held in the skin.
Read moreDear Diary: "My Quiet Morning in Al Jaddaf"
Contributor Shania Cavalida takes us on a quiet walk through Al Jaddaf before sunrise. Through the unnoticed sounds of birds beneath the Garhoud Bridge, empty buses, creek waters, and the slow arrival of dawn, this story asks us: How is stillness found in a city that is constantly in a rush?
Read moreInterview: Antoine Deeb on Process, Doubt, and Becoming
From his Sharjah studio, Antoine Deeb reflects on the questions that shape his practice. On authorship, uncertainty, and the patience required to grow into the artist he is becoming.
Read moreWatch This Video on The Power of Identity of Arab American Artists
Dive into the vibrant world of Arab American artists in this compelling discussion that took place at MIT. Hear firsthand about the historical and contemporary influences that shape their work. This talk is a must-watch for anyone interested in art and culture.
Read moreWhat does it mean to be a specialist at an auction house? Read Suzy Sikorski’s Emirates Woman interview to discover how she built her career.
Did you know you don't need to be from a specific region to appreciate and work in its art scene? Read Suzy Sikorski’s Emirates Woman interview to discover how she built a career as a Middle Eastern art specialist.
Read moreMid East Art as featured in Vogue Arabia April 2014 Issue
Mid East Art as featured in Vogue Arabia April 2024 issue, article “SALES SHIFT: Christie’s Middle East gears up for its most exciting online sales yet”
Read moreEp 3 'Whistle While We Work': On Exploring Identity
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: Womena
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 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 moreInside Artist Samia Halaby’s Colorful Studio
Amidst the quarantine 2020, Suzy enters artist Samia Halaby’s studio in New York City’s Tribeca, brimming with colorful spirals and bold geometric shapes. As published on Harper’s Bazaar Art Arabia
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 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.”
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