Reflections
contemporary art of the Middle East and North Africa
Past exhibition
17 May – 15 August 2021
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This display weaved together a rich tapestry of artistic expression from artists born in, or connected to, countries from Iran to Morocco.
With drawings by artists trained everywhere from Paris to Jerusalem, and subject matters ranging from the Syrian uprisings to the burning of the National Library of Baghdad, it offered new views of societies whose challenges are well-known in the press but are little known through the prism of contemporary art.
Featuring around 100 works on paper – from etchings to photographs and artists' books – the majority of works in the exhibition had been collected in the past decade. They highlighted topics of gender, identity, history and politics, while also exploring poetic traditions and the intersections between past and present. There was no single narrative but a multiplicity of stories.
To coincide with the exhibition, the British Museum published a richly illustrated accompanying book of the same name, written by Venetia Porter with Natasha Morris and Charles Tripp.
