Imperfect Chronology

Celebrating the Barjeel Art Foundation's expansive collection, this book maps a genealogy of modern and contemporary Arab art and offers one of the most extensive presentations of modern Arab art. Based in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, the Barjeel Art Foundation was established to contribute to the development of the evolving art scene in the Arab region by building a prominent, publicly accessible art collection in the UAE. Over time it has grown to become one of the most holistic collections of Arab art, fostering critical dialogue around art practices both in the region and internationally. Coinciding with a year long series of exhibitions at the Whitechapel Gallery, London, this unique overview features many rarely seen works by artists across the region from North Africa to the Gulf states as well as Western Asia. Spanning a period from the turn of the twentieth century to the present day, this publication tells a striking visual story of artists who challenged notions of tradition, territory, and geography. Featuring more than 60 artists and over 100 works of art, along with essays by leading scholars, curators and artists such as, Sultan Sooud Al-Qassemi, Kamal Boullata, Omar Kholeif, Rasha Salti, Nada Shabout, Gilane Tawadros and Ted McDonald-Toone.