Don’t miss DC’s Art All Night festival at the Middle East Institute on Saturday, September 13, from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM.
The late-night open house features MEI's new gallery exhibition, Arab Pop Art: Between East and West, as well as live Arabic musical performances by Laith AlAttar (oud & vocals) and Ali Bandeali (percussion) from 7:30-8:30 pm, 9:00-9:45 pm, and 10:00-10:45 pm. The duo will perform a rich tapestry of Arabic and Middle Eastern music from the region.
Arab Pop Art: Between East and West features the work of fourteen artists from the Arab world and its diaspora, drawing on global pop culture to express a vibrant, evolving, and cosmopolitan Arab identity. The 35 works on display blend everyday symbols, regional motifs, and cultural commentary with references to Western pop art icons like Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. The result is an unmissable show that challenges norms and informs new perspectives on art, identity, and culture in the Middle East.
Participating artists: Yusef Alahmad (Saudi Arabia/US), Chant Avedissian (Egypt), Marwan Chamaa (Lebanon/US), Yasmine Nasser Diaz (Yemen/US), Rasha Eleyan (Palestine/UK), Hassan Hajjaj (Morocco), Tony Khawam (Syria/US), Mous Lamrabat (Morocco), Ilyes Messaoudi (Tunisia), Qarm Qart (Egypt/Italy), Rana Salam (Lebanon), Water With Water (Nathan Ross Davis & Sarah Elawad, Qatar), Helen Zughaib (Lebanon/US).
Arab Pop Art: Between East and West is on view at the MEI Art Gallery, Monday to Friday, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM, through January 23, 2026. Walk-ins are welcome, or you can schedule an appointment online. Admission is free and open to the public.
Image: Rasha Eleyan, Summer Fruit Egypt A Revolution (2011-2017). Courtesy of the artist.
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