The Middle East Research and Information Project has released Issue 319 of the Middle East Report, titled “Art at Work—People, Power and Cultural Production,” examining how artists across the region navigate war, state control, and market capital. Published without paywalls, the new summer edition focuses on creative practices in countries including Palestine, Lebanon, Iran, and Syria, treating culture as a space where political struggles over power, identity, and belonging are continually contested.
## Visualizing Conflict in Palestine and Lebanon
The publication opens with two rare visual essays that document art created during military conflict and occupation. According to the Middle East Report, artist Jana Traboulsi reflects on witnessing war through social media screens, incorporating work by Mazen Kerbaj and Bahij Jaroudi.
Curator Rana Anani leads a distinct visual tour analyzing Mahmoud Alhaj’s 2024 exhibition titled “Control Anatomy.” Encompassing decades of creative output developed amid war, occupation, and surveillance within Gaza, the portfolio tells a powerful story. Contributors note that these visual records function as counter-archives, preserving experiences and histories that official narratives often seek to erase.
## Culture and Protest in Iran
Two contributions within the issue focus on the historical and political dynamics of culture in Iran. Parham Ghalamdar interviews Hamidreza Pejman to discuss the strategies arts institutions employ in navigating ongoing military tensions involving the United States and Israel.
Concurrently, researcher Nafiseh Sharifi outlines a 30-year history of protest music in Iran. Tracing sonic resistance, the overview connects reformist student anthems from the 1990s with viral tracks born out of the Dey protests and the Woman, Life, Freedom movement.
## State Capital and Neoliberal Markets in the Gulf
Over recent decades, ambitious state-backed initiatives across Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have spurred the establishment of prominent festivals and major museums. The interplay between neoliberal economic frameworks, state objectives, and Gulf art exhibition practices is examined by contributors Shir Alon and Abdullah al-Mutairi, who highlight how these forces determine which works achieve official recognition.
Researcher Nermin Elsherif turns to a different corner of digital expression by shedding light on the inner workings of the Arab artificial intelligence slop market. Focusing on low-end creative production across modern social media feeds, the study outlines its defining visual styles and precarious working conditions.
## Alternative Music and Post-Assad Theater
Researching from Amman, Arran Walshe explores the ups and downs experienced by Jordan’s alternative, heavy metal, and dance music communities. Interviews with local artists detail how state regulation and international aid impact independent creative projects, revealing the financial and logistical struggles artists face.
Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, cultural production in Syria’s liminal zones faces new governance under Ahmad al-Sharaa’s government. Highlighting the enduring significance of theater in the Golan Heights despite escalating Israeli occupation, the section features an interview with playwright Lekaa Sharaf about her 2025 production “Ancestral Rage.” Additionally, editorial assistant Heidi Affi utilizes embedded media selections to document the varied musical heritages found in the Jazira area situated between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers.
