Naima Morelli

Archive
March, 2026 Monthly archive

In the work of the young Egyptian artist Mariem Abutaleb , the Arabic language and alphabet become a symphony of signs that attempts to remove barriers. “When writing transcends readability, it’s meant to be felt,” says the artist. Her work is a visual demonstration of this idea.

From afar, her work looks as familiar as calligraphy, it’s only by coming close that one realizes she’s not referencing a specific language. And it’s precisely in this fluid approach that her artistic practice lies.

I have interviewed the artist for The Markaz Review.

Here is the link to the interview

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Dubai: The Only Way Out Is Through: The Twentieth Line

For anyone who has spent time at Alserkal Avenue, The Third Line needs little introduction. Since opening in 2005, at a moment when Dubai’s cultural infrastructure was still tentative and often viewed with skepticism, the gallery has become one of the most consistent presences in the city’s art ecology.

I saw the show and wrote a review for ArtAsiaPacific

Here is the link to the piece

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The Gulf’s Anti-Institution: 421 Arts Campus

421 contradicts several preconceived ideas the West might hold about the UAE art scene, often associated with large institutions projecting national ambition outward, from the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the forthcoming Guggenheim to the Sharjah Biennial. Taking another approach, 421 operates on a smaller scale, with slower timing and direct relationships with artists.

I visited 421 Art Campus and reported for ArtAsiaPacific.

Here is the link to the piece

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