TAKING SHAPE: ABSTRACTION FROM THE ARAB WORLD, 1950S–1980S
ArtAsiaPacific, March 29, 2020
By Mimi Wong
On the heels of the exhibition “Modernisms: Iranian, Turkish, and Indian Highlights from NYU’s Abby Weed Grey Collection,” which showcased works from the 1960s and ’70s, Grey Art Gallery’s first presentation of the year further widened the lens on 20th-century art from the Middle East, Asia, and North Africa. “Taking Shape: Abstraction from the Arab World, 1950s–1980s,” curated by Suheyla Takesh and Lynn Gumpert, represented a joint effort with the Sharjah-based Barjeel Art Foundation to consider modernist movements from the region and the diaspora. The nearly 90 works by 55 artists reflect a period of decolonization and national identity-making that continues to bear resonance in the 21st century.