Artists in Middle East & Africa
The 17 most-covered artists working in or associated with Middle East & Africa.
Otobong Nkanga
Otobong Nkanga is a multidisciplinary artist recognized for her tapestries, sculptures, and performances that examine the intersection of natural resources, human labor, and the environment. Her work frequently addresses the complex histories of land and the physical impact of extraction.
William Kentridge
William Kentridge is a South African artist internationally recognized for his distinctive stop-motion animation technique, which involves filming, erasing, and redrawing charcoal sketches. His work frequently explores themes of memory, history, and the socio-political landscape of post-apartheid South Africa.
Abdoulaye Konaté
Abdoulaye Konaté is a Malian artist internationally recognized for his large-scale textile installations composed of woven cotton strips. His work frequently addresses socio-political themes and environmental concerns through the use of traditional West African fabrics.
Dana Awartani
Dana Awartani is a Saudi visual artist known for integrating traditional Islamic geometric patterns and crafts into contemporary mediums such as sand mosaics, painting, and video art.
El Anatsui
El Anatsui is internationally recognized for his large-scale, flexible wall sculptures constructed from thousands of discarded aluminum bottle caps sewn together with copper wire.
Igshaan Adams
Igshaan Adams is a South African artist recognized for his intricate, textile-based sculptures and tapestries that blend weaving, beading, and found objects. His work frequently explores themes of identity, memory, and the intersection of personal and communal histories.
Kudzanai Chiurai
Kudzanai Chiurai is a Zimbabwean multidisciplinary artist known for using painting, drawing, video, and photography to examine complex social, political, and cultural themes within his home country.
Nicholas Hlobo
Nicholas Hlobo is known for his large-scale, intricate sculptural installations that utilize materials like rubber inner tubes, ribbon, and lace to explore themes of identity, sexuality, and South African history.
Pascale Marthine Tayou
Pascale Marthine Tayou is a Cameroonian artist known for his large-scale, multi-disciplinary installations that incorporate found objects to explore themes of global migration, identity, and cultural exchange.
Thania Petersen
Thania Petersen is a multi-disciplinary artist known for exploring themes of identity, colonialism, and the history of the Cape Malay community through photography, installation, and performance.
Haroon Gunn-Salie
Haroon Gunn-Salie is a South African contemporary artist known for his socially engaged practice, which often utilizes sculpture and installation to address historical trauma and collective memory.
Joël Andrianomearisoa
Joël Andrianomearisoa is a multidisciplinary artist known for his large-scale, monochromatic textile installations and sculptures that explore themes of memory, absence, and sentimentality. He gained international prominence as the first artist to represent Madagascar at the Venice Biennale in 2019.
Kemang Wa Lehulere
Kemang Wa Lehulere is a South African contemporary artist known for his multidisciplinary practice, which frequently incorporates found objects, performance, and installation to explore themes of memory, history, and the legacy of apartheid.
Thebe Magugu
Thebe Magugu is a South African fashion designer recognized for his namesake label and for winning the 2019 LVMH Young Fashion Designer Prize. His work frequently explores African history, culture, and politics through contemporary garment design.
Yto Barrada
Yto Barrada is a multimedia artist known for her multidisciplinary practice that investigates social sculpture, alternative pedagogies, and the historical narratives of North Africa.
Zanele Muholi
Zanele Muholi is a South African visual activist and photographer known for documenting the lives of Black LGBTQIA+ individuals. Their work centers on themes of race, gender, and sexuality through portraiture and installation.
Aboudia
Aboudia is a contemporary Ivorian artist recognized for his large-scale, expressive paintings that blend street art aesthetics with depictions of urban life in Abidjan.
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