Nada Ammagui

Nestled in a quiet market and mosque strip along Mleiha Road in Sharjah, a bright red awning invites passersby to discover an unexpected artistic and culinary feast. Moza Almatrooshi’s Jebal Albalad Cafeteria, colloquially known as ballad, functions as her artist’s studio, test and prep kitchen, and gathering space. It draws upon the archetype of a local cafeteria or casual street-side eatery.

Thousands of clay bricks forming the decorative motifs of damaged or destroyed heritage monuments across the Middle East transform the Saudi national pavilion in Venice into a reimagined archaeological site. Saudi Palestinian artist Dana Awartani’s emotionally charged installation “May your tears never dry, you who weep over stones,” seeks to preserve and remember destroyed cultural heritage sites across the Arab world but also to grieve the loss of their memory, presence, and impending erasure.

Grounded in the Gulf’s rich history of sonic tradition and unfolding through musical metaphors, the third Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale ran from January 30 through May 2 in Riyadh under the theme “In Interludes and Transitions.” The exhibition, led by artistic directors Nora Razian and Sabih Ahmed, took root in “the movements, migrations, and transformations that continue to connect the Gulf region with the world” – a particularly apt theme for a region shaped and defined by its nomadic...