Research | Naima Morelli

Published! Interview with director of Palestine Museum US for MEMO

01-02-2024

English, Interview, Italy, Middle East, Published, Research

Faisal Saleh, founder of Palestinian Museum, speaks during the inauguration of the facility in Woodbridge, Connecticut, April 22, 2018. [HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP via Getty Images]

“A few months ago, the director of the Palestine Museum US, Faisal Saleh, was in a room in Venice with members of the commission for the 2024 Venice Art Biennale. They tried to explain to him why his proposal for a collateral exhibition of Palestinian artists was rejected.

Saleh is not only Palestinian, but also very American in his ethos. So, he told me, when the Biennale spokesperson tried to convince him that art and politics have to be kept separate, he didn’t hesitate to tell them, ‘Well, I may not be as much of an expert on art as you are, but I do know that politics and art are intertwined. You can’t really separate one from the other.’ “

Faisal Saleh, director of the Palestine Museum US has started a petition to have a Palestinian-only collateral show at the Venice Biennale 2024. I spoke with him for Middle East Monitor.

Here is the link to the interview

Published! Su Hui-Yu at Singapore Art Week for The Financial Times

By: Naima Morelli

24-01-2024

Interview, Published, Research, Singapore, Taiwan

My latest piece for The Financial Times. I have interviewed the Taiwanese artist Su-Hui Yui about his work on collective memories, transgression and technological change in Asian societies that he presented during the Singapore Art Week.

Here is the link to the piece

Published! Noor Riyadh for Al-Monitor

By: Naima Morelli

26-12-2023

Middle East, News, Published, Reportage, Visit

My piece on the light art festival Noor Riyadh has just been published on Al-Monitor.

“Standing in the middle of the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh, a swarm of drones creates delicate constellations on the horizon. A virtuoso is playing the piano on a stage, complementing the 3,000-drone performance conceived by Studio Drift — an artist duo formed by Dutch artists Lonneke Gordijn and Ralph Nauta — called ‘Desert Swarm’.”

Here is the link to the article

Published! Manar Abu Dhabi on MEMO

By: Naima Morelli

02-12-2023

Essay, Middle East, News, Published, Reportage, Research, Visit

What is the role of art in times of conflict? I wrote a piece about it for Middle East Monitor, centered on the art light festival, Manar Abu Dhabi, curated by Reem Fadda and Alia Zaal Lootah from 15 November 2023. The festival runs to 30 January 2024.

Here is the link to the article

Published! Libyan art scene on Hadara

By: Naima Morelli

13-09-2023

Interview, Libya, News, North Africa, Published, Reportage, Research

My latest story: “Contemporary Libyan art is looking back at its recent and ancient history”, has just been published on the beautiful Hadara Magazine.

I spoke with curator Najlaa Elageli, artists Tewa Barnosa, Shefa Salem and many others.

Here is the link to the piece

Published! The Abu Dhabi art environment on MEMO

By: Naima Morelli

01-06-2023

Essay, Middle East, News, Published, Reportage, Research, Visit

Starting this year, Abu Dhabi is building a contemporary art scene tending to the local community, positioning itself as the main taste-maker in the discourse on the Global South in the Middle East.

I wrote a piece based on my latest trip to Abu Dhabi last month for Middle East Monitor.

Here is the link to the article

Published! Interview with Yeoh Choo Kuan on ArtAsiaPacific

By: Naima Morelli

12-04-2023

English, Interview, Malaysia, Published, Review, Visit

From spiritual heights to the depths of the flesh, Malaysian artist Yeoh Choo Kuan has filtered the broad spectrum of human emotions and tension through the medium of abstract painting.

I have always felt a special kinship with the artwork of artist Yeoh Choo Kuan. A few years ago I wrote the texts for his monograph published by Richard Koh Fine Art, and a couple of months ago I have interviewed him for ArtAsiaPacific about his recent Singapore show.

Here is the link to the article

Published! Saudi Arabian art is retelling the Hijrah on Middle East Monitor

By: Naima Morelli

22-03-2023

Interview, Middle East, Published, Reportage, Research

The exhibition “Hijrah: In the Footsteps of the Prophet” and the documentary “In the Footsteps of the Beloved” are embracing historical and scientific evidence, signalling a change in Saudi Arabia. I wrote about it for Middle East Monitor.

Here is the link to the piece

Published! The Libyan Pantry Project on MEMO

By: Naima Morelli

14-03-2023

English, Interview, Libya, News, North Africa, Published, Research

A new show in Tripoli looks at 70 years of Libya’s consumer culture. [Photo By Najlaa Elageli]

Since I started writing about Libya in 2021, I grew more and more interested in the history of the country and how artists and people in the cultural field are retelling the Libyan story.

So clearly I was so excited to learn from curator Najlaa Elageli about this show she put up in Tripoli’s old medina with artists Hadia Gana and Alla Budabbus, called “The Libyan Pantry Project.” I had to write about it!

By the way, this is my 50th piece for Middle East Monitor. What an honour collaborating with them for such a long time!

Here is the link to the piece

Curatorial text: Inessa Kalabekova new solo at Fullerton Hotel

By: Naima Morelli

23-02-2023

Central Asia, News, Singapore, Visit

I have written the curatorial text for Kazakhstan-born, Singaporean artist Inessa Kalabekova, who has an upcoming show at the East Garden Gallery, of the Fullerton Hotel in Singapore, from March 1 to March 30, 2023.

I have visited the artist’s studio during my last trip to Singapore, and learned about her art practice that fuses collage and painting. Her new show is called “The Nature of Art”, and here the artist looks at nature through the eyes of mythology and poetry.

Published! Trần Trọng Vũ on ArtAsiaPacific

By: Naima Morelli

15-02-2023

English, Interview, Published, Vietnam, Visit

My interview with Vietnamese artist Trần Trọng Vũ has just been published on ArtAsiaPacific’s website.

I met the artist for his big show at A2Z gallery in Paris last October, and we did the interview half in French, half in English! Phew! It was fun, and the artist was extremely generous and kind – his work, ça va sans dire, is incredible!

Some of you know that my next cohesive research will be in Vietnam. I will spend one month there, most likely next year, so this interview adds a big piece to my understanding of art coming from the country!

Here is the link to the interview