Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art

Christie’s has displayed a long-standing commitment to the Middle East. We were the first to build a strong presence in the region when we opened our Dubai headquarters in 2005, and held our inaugural Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art auction in 2006.

Our biannual live and online auctions, taking place in London or Dubai, along with our groundbreaking loan and private selling exhibitions, offer exceptional works by Arab, Turkish and Iranian artists such as Mahmoud Said, Etel Adnan and Samia Halaby. These highlight Christie’s continuous efforts to bring Middle Eastern Art to the forefront of the global stage.

As a market leader in Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art, our sales consistently achieve outstanding results, with strong sell-through rates and record-breaking prices for artists. With an international reach, our auctions attract bidders from over 15 countries, reflecting the category’s growing global appreciation.
In 2026, Christie’s marks 20 years since that first auction and kicks off Abu Dhabi’s cultural season with its inaugural auction in the city. See below for more details.
Our dedicated team of specialists, based in Dubai and London, is always available — please do not hesitate to get in touch.

A pastel-hued expressionist landscape painting featuring rolling hills and a serene water body under a pink and blue sky.

No upcoming Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art auctions

Our specialists are currently preparing our next Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art auctions. In the meantime, browse results from past auctions.

VIEW PAST AUCTIONS

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Contact us

From free valuations to market advice, our specialists are here to answer your questions.

Dr. Ridha Moumni
Chairman, Middle East & Africa
United Arab Emirates, London
Call+44 (0)207 389 2861
E-mailrmoumni@christies.com
Dr. Ridha Moumni is a historian of Art and Archaeology, specialising in antiquity and the early and modern art of Tunisia. He holds a PhD in North African Roman Architecture from La Sorbonne University. Former fellow of the French Academy in Rome (Villa Medici), Dr. Moumni was from 2019 to 2021 an Aga Khan Fellow at the Department of Art History at Harvard University and conducted research at Harvard's Center of Middle Eastern Studies. Dr. Moumni joined Christie's in 2021 as a Senior Client Advisor, focusing on the Middle East, before moving into his current role as Chairman of the Middle East and Africa. He has extensive experience in leading cultural projects and curating exhibitions of Middle Eastern art.
Meagan Kelly Horsman
Managing Director Middle East
United Arab Emirates
Call+971 (0) 4 425 5647
E-mailmkellyhorsman@christies.com
Meagan Kelly Horsman is the Managing Director of Christies Middle East, having joined the team in May 2022. Based in the UAE since 2010, Meagan has worked in both the primary and secondary market, starting her career at Bonhams, and specialises in modern and contemporary art from the Arab World, North Africa and Iran. Meagan’s extensive experience also includes collection management and development for some of the most important private collections in the region. Meagan has curated numerous exhibitions at institutions across the UAE, delivered short courses relating to the art sector and written for arts publications in the region. Meagan holds a MA in History of Art from the University of Glasgow, Scotland.
Marie-Claire Thijsen
Head of Sale, Specialist, Post-War & Contemporary Art UK/UAE
United Arab Emirates, London
Call+44 (0) 79 9083 1918
E-mailmcthijsen@christies.com
Marie-Claire is a Specialist in the Post-War & Contemporary Art department at Christie’s based between UK and UAE. She is passionate about discovering and promoting emerging and overlooked artists with a particular interest in artists from the Middle East and North Africa. In her role as Head of Sale for Modern & Contemporary Middle Eastern Art, she has contributed to the growth of the category and has helped to give it a contemporary and international profile through successful auctions and private selling exhibitions in London, Dubai and Paris.

Marie-Claire grew up in the Netherlands and speaks fluent Dutch and English, conversational French, and is learning Arabic. Marie-Claire attended Amsterdam University College and holds a BA with a double major in International Relations and Economics and a minor in Art History. She moved to London to complete a MA in Art Business and joined Christie’s in 2015. In the Post-War & Contemporary Department in London she has been working across the Evening, Day and Online sales, gaining a breadth of knowledge of the art market and playing a pivotal role in the consignment and successful sale of various single owner collections including the Jeremy Lancaster Collection, the Le Jeune Collection and most recently the Dalloul Art Collection.
Kanon Ida
Cataloguer
London
Call+44 (0)7760843621
E-mailkida@christies.com
Kanon Ida is the Cataloguer in the Post-War and Contemporary Art Department at Christie’s, specialising in Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art. She joined Christie’s in 2023, bringing with her a breadth of experience from leading institutions including the Guggenheim Museum, the Venice Biennale, and other international auction houses.

Prior to her current position, Kanon was a Client Liaison & Researcher in the Chairman’s Office EMEA and Sale Coordinator in the Modern & Contemporary Middle Eastern Art department, where she successfully managed auctions, private sales, and exhibitions across London and Dubai.

She holds a degree in History of Art from The Courtauld Institute of Art, with a specialisation in Contemporary Art and is fluent in Italian, Japanese, and English; conversant in French; and is currently studying Arabic and Mandarin.
Lara Abu Dahab
Sale Coordinator
London
Call+44 (0) 744 213 2162
E-mailLAbuDahab@christies.com
Lara Abu Dahab is a Sale Coordinator in the Post-War and Contemporary Art Department at Christie’s, specialising in Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art. Based in London, she joined Christie’s in 2025 as a Research Intern, where she contributed valuable insights drawn from her academic research and curatorial interests, particularly with relation to the Middle East and North Africa.

Lara holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Literary Studies from New York University - Abu Dhabi and a Master of Letters in Art History from the University of St Andrews, with a focus on sustainable museology and decolonial practices. She brings to her role extensive experience in archival research, cataloguing, logistics, and project management.

Fluent in Arabic and English, and conversant in Italian, Lara continues to explore the intersections of regional perspectives within the contemporary art market.
Shereen Al-Sawwaf
Junior Specialist
New York
Call+1 646-623-7562
E-mailSAl-Sawwaf@christies.com
Shereen Al-Sawwaf is an Associate Specialist and Head of Online Sales for the New York Post-War & Contemporary Art department. In her current role, Shereen helps the department source, appraise and price works for auction. Additionally, she assists with researching, cataloging, and conducting expertise on works to be included in all upcoming sales. Shereen joined Christie's as part of the Graduate Training Program. Since joining the Post-War & Contemporary Art department full-time, she has been fortunate to work on landmark auctions such as Beeple: The 5000 Everydays, which marked the first purely digital work and the most expensive work ever sold in an online auction, and Andy Warhol's Shot Sage Blue Marilyn, which marked the most expensive 20th century artwork ever sold at auction. Shereen also has worked on prominent collections such as the Surrealist World of Rosalind Gersten Jacobs and Melvin Jacobs, the Collection of Thomas and Doris Ammann, the Collection of Sir Elton John, and the Gerald Fineberg collection. Shereen earned a Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies from the University of Chicago.
Nour Kelani
Managing Director, Saudi Arabia
Riyadh
Call+966 53 995 6198
E-mailnkelani@christies.com
Nour Kelani is the Managing Director of Christie’s Saudi Arabia, based in Riyadh. Previously, she oversaw operations at Ayyam Gallery in Jeddah, representing contemporary artists from across the Middle East. She also played an instrumental role in bringing the Ayyam Gallery ‘Young Collector’s Auction’ to Saudi Arabia. A high-profile supporter of the evolving contemporary art scene in the Kingdom, Nour has managed her own art and luxury consultancy, having served as an art advisor to numerous private collectors, and consulted on behalf of international luxury brands. In recognition of these contributions among others, she was made a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture.
Jude Alqunaibit
Business Development Associate
Riyadh
Call+966 53 995 6534
E-mailJalqunaibit@christies.com