Over the past many years, the Middle East aced Arab artists have captured the world around them that has been rich in art. The region has been home to rich ancient and pre-historic art as well as modern and contemporary art and culture.

Through these years, the artists have studied the surroundings around them as major historical events shaped the region. These events were then molded into one’s interpretation, bringing out some of the best masterpieces of the region.

While the artists portrayed the daily life and people in their nations and cities even during moments of great change, not much has been written and documented about the Arab artists that have covered the last century through their art.

Thus, to acknowledge these works, MiSK Art Institute in Riyadh has launched ‘The Art Library’, an initiative to write and publish a series of art books about Saudi and Arab artists in both Arabic and English.

Collaborating with Rizzoli International Publications, Misk Art Institute has pioneered this new initiative with the Deputy for Cultural Assets & Centers and former director-general of the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, Mona Khazindar as the publication’s editor.

The first series of two books came out in June, published by renowned house Rizzoli Libri that is dedicated to post-war contemporary Saudi Arabian painter Abdulrahman Alsoliman, currently based in Dammam, and Adam Henein, Egypt’s renowned modernist who passed away in May 2020. He was known for his sculptures in bronze, wood, clay, and granite.

Both the volumes each around 150 pages, offer an informal yet brief and detailed introduction to some of the most prominent figures of Arab art. These books have been illustrated with easy-to-follow text — perfect for those without previous knowledge or for connoisseurs in the field wishing to gain more knowledge of 20th century Middle Eastern art history.