al Mawrid Arab Center for the Study of Art

al Mawrid is a research center and archive dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of the visual arts of the Arab world. Through a range of activities that include fellowships, research projects, conferences and colloquia, as well as the construction of a unique open-access archive, al Mawrid aims to be a major resource for scholars, independent researchers, and for educational and art institutions.

The center’s archive encompasses the Arab Art Archive, which acquires primary source materials pertaining to modern and contemporary art across the Arab world, and the Akkasah Photography Archive, which documents different histories and practices of photography in the broader region with a focus on the UAE and the Gulf. al Mawrid’s research operation has two arms: one dedicated to formulating new analytic categories for the history of Arab art, and Haraka: Experimental Lab for Arab Art and Social Thought, which takes the intellectual life of the region as a starting point for exploring alternative modes of knowledge production about its societies and history.

The Center is part of the NYUAD Research Institute and works in collaboration with faculty in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences serving faculty research and undergraduate education.

Center's Highlights

Salwa Mikdadi honored in "1980s: Representational Pressures, Departures and Beginnings" Conference

On November 3rd, Salwa Mikdadi, Professor of Practice of Art History, and Director of al Mawrid Arab Center for the Study of Art, was celebrated at the “1980s: Representational Pressures, Departures and Beginnings” conference for her contributions to the field of art history for over five decades! Celebrated by art historians and peers, Mikdadi was honored by the Association for Modern and Contemporary Art of the Arab World, Iran and Turkey (AMCA)—an affiliate of the College Arts Association and MESA with a travel grant announced in her name—the Salwa Mikdadi Research Travel Grant. al Mawrid team extends its heartfelt congratulations and gratitude to Salwa for her dedication to the discipline

Singapore Biennale 2022, "Natasha" Co-curated by Ala Younis

Singapore Biennale 2022, "Natasha"

Ala Younis, al Mawrid Arab Center for the Study of Art's Research Scholar, has been appointed as one of the Artistic Directors of the Singapore Biennale (SB2022), for its seventh edition opening on October 16, 2022. Helmed by four Co-Artistic Directors from around the world, the team comprises Binna Choi from South Korea/the Netherlands, Nida Ghouse from India, living in Germany, June Yap from Singapore and Ala Younis from Jordan and UAE. The Artistic Directors gave the biennale a name, they called it Natasha.

The main event for Singapore Biennale 2022 (SB2022) will run until March 19, 2023 across a network of sites in Singapore, including Tanjong Pagar Distripark, Sentosa Cove, Lazarus Island and St John’s Island, Yan Kit Playfield, Regional Libraries, Singapore Art Museum (SAM) Residencies and Hoardings.

Learn more here.

Salwa Mikdadi on "Making the Case for Arab Art"

Making the Case for Arab Art

"al Mawrid Arab Center for the Study of Art is developing a new model for research and access, and will help change the very manner in which Arab art is situated in the world of academia and in the public perception."

Learn more about the center in Salwa Mikdadi's feature in Manara.