“Kaleidoscope: In Pursuit of the Real in a Virtual World”—fiction from Dina Abou Salem
Caught between Beirut and a town in the Californian desert, Buthayna searches for the meaning amid life’s absurdities.
Adel Abidin, October 2023
Adel Abidin is an Iraqi-Finnish artist who explores history, memory and identity in his installations, painting, drawings and videos.
Art Curators as Public Intellectuals
Naima Morelli talks to Rose Issa, Sara Raza, Farah Abushullaih and Alia Al-Senussi about art and intellectuals.
World Picks From the Editors, Sept 29—Oct 15, 2023
A Markaz Review bi-weekly roundup of our editors’ favorite selections from within the global arts and culture scene.
The Mystery of Enayat al-Zayyat in Iman Mersal’s Tour de Force
Selma Dabbagh reviews a masterpiece that gives insight into the life of a remarkable woman artist striving to live on her own terms.
Donkeys and Mules—Motors of the High Atlas Mountains
Aomar Boom describes the centrality of donkeys and mules to life in the unforgiving earthquake-shattered terrain of the High Atlas Mountains.
Disaster and Language—the Disarticulation of Seismic Pain in Tamazight
Brahim El Guabli argues that Morocco’s disaster survivors must be able to communicate in their mother tongue.
Saqi’s Revenant: Sahar Khalifeh’s Classic Nablus Novel Wild Thorns
Noshin Bokth reviews a Palestinian literary classic set in Nablus about resignation and resistance under Israeli military occupation.
Illegitimate Literature—Interview with Novelist Ebru Ojen
Nazlı Koca interviews novelist Ebru Ojen and her translators on the creative process of bringing her latest book into English.
Kurdish Novel Explores Nightmarish Isolation in Eastern Anatolia
Kaya Genç reviews Ebru Ojen’s newly translated novel, an exploration of a Kurdish mother grappling with the sacrifices of motherhood.
Memory Art: Water and Islands in the Work of Hera Büyüktaşçıyan
Arie Amaya-Akkermans does a deep dive into the fascinating career of Istanbul-born Greek Armenian artist Hera Büyüktaşçıyan.
Anatolian Journey: a Writer Travels to Sultan Han to Witness a Postmodern Installation
Matt Hanson, an art writer in Turkey, drives across the high plains between Ankara and Konya to see a site-specific art installation.