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Hamidreza Shafiei and the Distinctive Women in the Paintings of Afshin Pirhashemi at Boom Gallery, Tehran
Afshin Pirhashemi is a singular figure in the Middle Eastern art scene. For three consecutive years, he was listed among the world’s 500 most expensive artists by the Paris-based institutions Artprice and FIAC. At the same time, the conceptual core of his painting reflects an unprecedented narrative of the Middle East—most notably through his powerful and unconventional depictions of Middle Eastern women.
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Omar El-Nagdi and the Femininity of Civilization in the Raha Gallery Collection
Omar El-Nagdi’s painting La Pharaonne forms a bridge between Pharaonic mythology, contemporary reality, and the shared global concerns of humanity. One of the most compelling ironies in this master painter’s approach is his deliberate choice of the title La Pharaonne—“The Pharaoh’s Lady”—instead of the Pharaoh himself. This choice offers a subtle yet pointed critique of the patriarchal narratives of official history, while foregrounding the fundamental role of women in the continuity of civilization and identity.
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New Oil? An Analysis of the Art Economy in the Middle East by Seyedmohammad Omrany
Over the past decade, the economy of visual arts in the Middle East has shifted from a marginal and largely symbolic sphere to a significant component of the region’s cultural equations, investment strategies, and even soft-power diplomacy.
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Music and Song by Mohammadreza Ebrahimi for Bita Vakili’s Painting Iran, the Endless Poem in the Raha Gallery Collection / Video
Mohammadreza Ebrahimi, the well-known musician, has composed an original piece of music for Iran, the Endless Poem by Bita Vakili, an artwork held in the Raha Gallery Collection. In addition, Ebrahimi has written a song specifically for this painting and has personally performed it.
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Mahboubeh Kazemi: The Middle East Must Recognize Zinat al-Sadat Emami — The Third Vertex of the Triangle Formed by Monir Farmanfarmaian and Fakhr-al-Nisa’ Zeid
The world does not know that the so-called male-dominated Middle East also produced remarkable women artists a century ago—women whose artistic creations have enriched humanity’s cultural heritage. Today, Zinat al-Sadat Emami, in her nineties in Isfahan, Iran, continues to shine. In my view, she forms the third radiant vertex alongside Monir Farmanfarmaian and Fakhr-al-Nisa’ Zeid.