Saeb Eigner shares his intimate knowledge of the stylistic, literary and linguistic histories of the Middle East and North Africa in the detailed biographies of almost 100 culturally significant artists from the region, ranging from early modernists such as Shafic Abboud, Marwan, Bahman Mohassess and Gazbia Sirry to contemporary artists such as Mona Hatoum, Nabil Nahas and Shirin Neshat. Concise profiles of almost 160 additional artists offer further insight into those shaping this rich cultural landscape. This essential, illuminating resource for anyone interested in modern and contemporary art establishes a dialogue between works that engage with the prominent issues of our age and the ever-changing social, political and religious context of their creation.