The National Museum of Asian Art hosts an evening with Saeb Eigner, author of Artists of the Middle East: 1900 to Now.

In this lecture, Saeb Eigner offers a journey through more than a century of modern and contemporary art from the Middle East and North Africa, as documented in Artists of the Middle East: 1900 to Now. The book brings together over 250 major artists—from early modernists to today’s leading contemporary voices—across a vast geographic area stretching from Morocco to Iran. Eigner will highlight how cultural heritage, linguistic and literary traditions, and regional socio‑political realities have shaped different art movements and individual practices.

By examining landmark artists such as those active in the mid‑20th century alongside contemporary figures, the lecture will trace continuities and ruptures: how earlier modernist expressions gave way to new forms; how political upheaval, migration, globalization, and cultural exchange influenced artistic production; and how art from the region today speaks to global audiences while remaining rooted in local histories.

After the talk, join Eigner in conversation with Carol Huh, Associate Curator of Contemporary Asian Art, and have your copy signed by the author. Copies of Artists of the Middle East: 1900 to Now will be available for purchase.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/saeb-eigner-artists-of-the-middle-east-book-talk-and-signing-tickets-1981810960933?aff=ebdssbdestsearch