Pinched and Prodded
by Lizzy Vartanian Collier,
The struggle of the LGBTQ+ representation in Middle Eastern art might phase Alireza Shojaian—but it doesn’t stop him.
Hamed Says
by Benjamin Stevenson,
“You see that girl
right there? She’s mukhabarat”—
informants for the government."
Suspended Orbit
by Knar Hovakimyan,
"Time flows in cycles for her. And cycles within cycles. The yearly visit to the grave was always a reminder of a reset; she was back at a road already littered with her own footsteps."
The Beetle
by Shaikha Khalifa
"I do not know the nature I inhabit. I do not know the types of moths that visit my living room at night through my garden.
Libya is Blue
by Farrah Fray,
"Gaddafi was captured mid siesta,
he tried to escape in a Peugeot truck the colour of the sky"
The Birthday
by Shawk Alani
"The blue sky blew up with American aerial bombardment to celebrate my birthday on the night of the 17th of January 1991."
Spirit of Nasr
by Shady Shebak,
"The spirit of Nasr was hovering over Egypt. It had been for some time, but it was getting ready to make its move. It was 1882 when the spirit of Nasr showed itself. Its been 20, 20, 20, 10, and 1 since the last time it made its move."
Tracing Silihdar
by Arpi Atabekyan
"And that is what a truly good feminist writing stands for and reminds of—that we are all together in our victories and failures, in our struggles and despair."
Why You Should Bother to Visit Exhibitions
by Ali D.N.
The next exhibition you visit might just be the railroad switch that takes your life to the better lane.
A Glimpse from the Days of Yore: Christmas in the Süryani Church of Mardin
by Ali DN
"The help of friends, respect for their tradition, and a smile on one’s face makes it possible to help this old and precious heritage survive."
Interview: Mozart can be Syrian
with Kinan Azmeh, by Azmi Haroun,
"I grew up playing Mozart. And for me, Mozart was Syrian too. I have listened to it here and in Syria, and I played it in Syria. It's equally Syrian."