Art History and the United Arab Emirates
Sophie Kazan Makhlouf challenges misconceptions that an authoritarian government precludes politically-critical cultural production.
Abu Dhabi
Interview: Oorvi Sharma, Architectural Researcher and Designer
Rabi Georges reviews and interviews innovative architect Oorvi Sharma in Abu Dhabi.
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.
Being Without Belonging: A Jewish Wedding in Abu Dhabi
Deborah Kapchan's introspection on belonging and faith on attending the first officially recognized Jewish wedding in the United Arab Emirates.
Abu Dhabi Shows Noura Ali-Ramahi’s “Allow Me Not to Explain”
Rana Asfour talks to an Emirati about her ideas and development as an artist.
Censorship, Book Burning and Abu Dhabi Orientalism
Abu Dhabi-based professor Deborah Williams contrasts the new American censorship of "Maus" and Harry Potter book burning with her own potentially inflammatory syllabus.
Reflections on Abu Dhabi and the U.A.E. at 50
The powerhouse United Arab Emirates has just fêted 50 years as a country, and 10-year resident Deborah Williams takes stock.
Traveling in Contentious Spaces — Saudi Arabia
When friends in Abu Dhabi asked Deborah Williams how she could support MBS by going to “his” festival, she didn’t have an answer, only another question: how do we draw the lines around where we will or won’t go?