Farah Abdessamad

Nine Artists Not to Miss at 1-54 London The 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair is back at Somerset House for its 13th edition with special projects, live performances and work by 100 contemporary African and diasporic artists.

London dispatch II: a round up of artists not to miss at 1-54’s African contemporary art fair

observer.com/list/nine-ar...

The Eight Best Booths at Frieze London 2025 Despite the commercial noise, a handful of galleries delivered powerful presentations that proved meaningful art can still cut through the fair’s gloss.

London dispatch: Frieze London, very meh except for several of these booths:

observer.com/list/the-eig...

Eight Exhibitions Not to Miss During Frieze Week London As London prepares for another electrifying week of fairs, galleries across the city are showcasing a dynamic mix of historic rediscoveries and cutting-edge contemporary art.

Very exciting shows in London ahead of Frieze Week. Here’s my roundup👇

observer.com/list/eight-e...

Complete disgust

How Tunisia inspired Kandinsky and enabled expressionist art The Russian artist Vasily Kandinsky began his journey into the abstract during a stay in the North African country, inspiring others like Paul Klee and August Macke

Wrote about him with regards to Tunisia some time ago www.middleeasteye.net/discover/tun...

Curator Nada Shabout Traces the Enduring Legacy of the Baghdad Modern Art Group The Group played a seminal role in the reinvention of postcolonial identity through avant-garde art.

I spoke with curator Nada Shabout about the historical ebullience + legacies of the Baghdad Modern Art Group and its trailblazers for Observer.

observer.com/2025/08/inte...

Literary 'kung fu pandas': the Chinese wuxia genre and why Westerners don't know it (Part I) | The Bubble In Part I of this article, Audrey Wong introduces the genre of Chinese wuxia novels and their sociocultural importance, and begins to explore the reasons behind their lack of traction in the Western w...

I recently came across an article that lucidly explains why #wuxia novels can't attract more attention in the anglophone world.
Summary:
- Cultural barriers
- Linguistic abyss & translational onus
- Overabundance of names & proper nouns with cultural nuances.
www.thebubble.org.uk/culture/lite...

Beyond the news: A few words on art restitutions As France prepares new bill to facilitate the restitution of some colonial property, let’s reflect on the situation between Europe and Africa…

Beyond the news: A few words on art restitutions

#newsletter

Once in a while, I’d like to offer a slight look away from hard news, politics, or humanitarian crises.

France prepares new bill to facilitate the restitution of some colonial property…

melissa.substack.com/p/beyond-the...

Afghanistan’s War Rugs Weave a Knotty History at the British Museum These rugs probe the aestheticization of war and the risk of defining a country primarily by its violent past and present at the expense of other narratives.

Latest review on Afghanistan’s war rugs on show at the British Museum for Observer. Sparse despite rich material.

Does it reduce a country to its violence?

observer.com/2025/08/exhi...

Brave people everywhere

Ali Cherri Honors Life, Loss and Defiance in ‘How I Am Monument’ Wide-ranging works illustrate the artist’s range and capture the exhibition’s parable: what is destined to live will die, as what dies may rise again.

My latest review of Ali Cherri’s largest UK survey on show at the Baltic.

On monuments, death, metamorphosis, and our constant struggle between sky and earth.

observer.com/2025/07/exhi...

It’s already been closed a couple of times due to pollution since launch. As a native Parisian I’d never swim in there…

Heart Lamp: 12 stories of Indian Muslim women under patriarchy Book Club: International Booker winner Banu Mushtaq’s ’Heart Lamp’ highlights the lives of Muslim women in India, exploring love, loss, and societal pressures

I reviewed Banu Mushtaq’s International Booker Prize win, Heart Lamp (translated by Deepa Bhasthi).

Short stories amplifying the voice and lives of Indian Muslim women and recognition of Kannada language literature.

For @thenewarab.bsky.social

www.newarab.com/features/hea...

Dana Awartani’s show on Middle Eastern heritage lands in Bristol Dana Awartani uses tile-making and textiles to tell stories of cultural loss in the Middle East. We spoke to her about her exhibition ’Standing by the Ruins’

I sat down to speak with Palestinian-Saudi artist Dana Awartani, whose show on Middle Eastern cultural destruction opened at Bristol’s Arnolfini last weekend.

I really cherish our candid chat about Gaza, Aleppo, and much more.

For @thenewarab.bsky.social

www.newarab.com/features/dan...

Beautiful no-screen day out in Leicestershire today.

Fern forests, roaming deers, scintillating butterflies.

Hallucinant

Tunisian court sentences prominent lawyer critical of president to two years Sonia Dahmani, a prominent Tunisian lawyer known for her criticism of President Kais Saied, was sentenced on Monday to two years in prison, her lawyers said. Human rights groups say theTunisian presid...

Predictable sentence in Tunisia’s revived dictatorship

www.france24.com/en/africa/20...

The 13th Liverpool Biennial Celebrates a Vibrant World-City The Biennial balances global perspectives with local voices proving the city remains a crossroads where art, history and lived experience collide.

My review of Liverpool’s biennial, BEDROCK, is out for Observer.

Solid curation carrying an important message: forging deep and diverse connections enrich us.

observer.com/2025/06/art-...

In Bristol today to chat with Palestinian-Saudi artist Dana Awartani ahead of the opening of her first European solo show at Arnolfini tomorrow, “Standing by the ruins” — more soon

It’s on my list ☺️

They were superb!!

Fab day in Newcastle to see Ali Cherri’s latest show at the Baltic Centre. Review coming up.

Remembrance, loss, defiance. We are from earth and sky — mud and gods.

What are some of things you wish you knew before starting a substack for lit/art criticism?

La biennale de Gaza a organisé sa première exposition à Londres - Le Quotidien de l'Art Il n’y a jamais eu de pavillon palestinien à la biennale de Venise (Israël en dispose dans les Giardini depuis 1952). L’Italie ne reconnaît pas l’État de Palestine. Les propositions précédentes pour l...

La biennale de Gaza a organisé sa première exposition à Londres. Par @cosmofa.bsky.social
www.lequotidiendelart.com/articles/275... – @quotidiendelart.bsky.social

Merci @quotidiendelart.bsky.social et @maglesauvage.bsky.social 🫶🕊️

La biennale de Gaza a organisé sa première exposition à Londres - Le Quotidien de l'Art Il n’y a jamais eu de pavillon palestinien à la biennale de Venise (Israël en dispose dans les Giardini depuis 1952). L’Italie ne reconnaît pas l’État de Palestine. Les propositions précédentes pour l...

Gaza is the story. In every sector, people are mobilizing against erasure.

For Le Quotidien de l’Art, I wrote about the Gaza Bienniale, a grassroot effort to directly connect with Palestinian artists and their works.

My report from London a few days ago.
www.lequotidiendelart.com/articles/275...

From Spain to Mecca on horseback: the men performing Hajj like medieval pilgrims Three Spanish Muslims set off from Andalusia for Mecca on horseback seven months ago, traversing Europe and the Alps in a historic journey

What a beautiful story

www.middleeasteye.net/discover/haj...

In Liverpool —

In England (where I am at the mo), there’s a fun fair in the park for upcoming Eid. It’s joyful.

In France, my dad is scared for his safety when he goes to pray. And he has every reason to be given free license to harass and assault Muslims.

What’s going on in France isn’t normal.

Book 20 read this year