In this lecture, Saeb Eigner offers a journey through more than a century of modern and contemporary art from the Middle East and North Africa, as documented in ‘Artists of the Middle East: 1900 to Now’.
Spanning from 1900 to the present, the book brings together over 250 major artists — from early modernists to today’s leading contemporary voices — across a vast geographic area stretching from Morocco to Iran. Eigner will highlight how cultural heritage, linguistic and literary traditions, and regional socio-political realities have shaped different art movements and individual practices.
By examining landmark artists such as those active in the mid-20th century alongside contemporary figures, the lecture will trace continuities and ruptures: how earlier modernist expressions gave way to new forms; how political upheaval, migration, globalization and cultural exchange influenced artistic production; and how art from the region today speaks to global audiences while remaining rooted in local histories.
Saeb Eigner –Biography
Saeb Eigner, Austrian by birth, spent his early years traveling the Middle East before settling in London, where he was educated. Fluent in several languages, including Arabic, he began his career in international banking and later founded a private investment firm. A founding member in 2004 of the Dubai Financial Services Authority, he played a key role in establishing one of the world’s leading financial centres, serving as Chairman of the DFSA (2011 - 2021).
A former Governor of his Alma Mata London Business School and Chair of its Audit and Risk Committee. Eigner serves on boards related to finance, education, and the arts. A speaker on global business and economic issues, across major media platforms. He is committed to the arts and education as tools for cultural connection and social advancement. He authored Sand to Silicon (2002, 2008) and Art of The Middle East (2010, 2015), co- curated the British Museum’s Word into Art exhibitions in London and Dubai (2006, 2008), and recently authored Artists of the Middle East: 1900 to Now (2025).
To view a copy of the slides in this talk, please use this link: https://media.podcasts.ox.ac.uk/sant/middle_east_studies/booktalk/2026-03-25-sant-mec-booktalk-eigner-SLIDES.pdf
