In April, we shifted our focus to the art of collecting and those who have made it their mission to archive and support the work of artists from across the Arab world and beyond. This May, we turn our attention to the artists and gallerists whose practices are shaping the region’s visual language.
In this issue, we highlight Syrian artist Safwan Dahoul (
@safwan_dahoul ), and alongside him, a younger generation that has asserted itself with equal clarity, namely the up and coming Saudi artist Hayfa Al Gwiaz, who graces our second cover (
@hayfa_algwaiz ). Elsewhere, we step inside Gem Alf Gallery (
@gem.alf ), located in Istanbul’s antiques and design quarter; Hala Saleh, founder of Cairo-based social kitchen Kook (
@kook.eg ) and #AD100 design firm TDF+, invites us into her experimental lifestyle gallery for chefs and cooking enthusiasts alike. #AD100 Interior designer, Meshary AlNasser launches his new eponymous hybrid-workspace (
@gallerymesharyalnassar ) which contains a ground-floor gallery that transforms seasonally to showcase unique pieces of design from across the globe. Operating between the digital and the physical, FAME Collective (
@thefamecollective ) introduces collectors to wide-ranging work, from handmade rugs to jewellery. And finally, Thaer Select (
@thaer.select ), founded by Mustafa Thaer, a creative agency that offers young artists a new platform outside a traditional gallery model.
Meet the gallerists and artists featured in our April-May ‘26 #ArtIssue at the link in bio.
Photography (in order):
@nanaampofo ,
@aimhazi ,
@eranworks ,
@bilohussein ,
@thefamecollective , Marwan Benameur | Words:
@aidannovaa ,
@rundoozz ,
@mariyabintrehan 
