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.

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.
Marwan Head

Marwan: A Soul in Exile

Christie’s third annual summer exhibition in London will celebrate Marwan, one of the most critically acclaimed and influential artists whose practice has shaped the contemporary art scene. On view in London 16 July to 22 August 2025.

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Upcoming auctions

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.

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A painting depicting boats on a body of water with a large hill in the background and dynamic light rays in the sky.

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  • Dr. Ridha Moumni

    Dr. Ridha Moumni

    Chairman, Middle East & Africa

    Dubai, London

    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.
  • Marie-Claire Thijsen

    Marie-Claire Thijsen

    Head of Sale, Specialist, Post-War & Contemporary Art London/Dubai

    Dubai, London

    Marie-Claire is a specialist in the Post-War & Contemporary Art department at Christie’s based between London and Dubai. 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.
  • Samia Kayyali

    Samia Kayyali

    Cataloguer

    London

    Based in London, Samia serves as the cataloguer for the Modern and Contemporary Middle East department. She moved to London and joined Christie’s in September of 2022 and was previously the sale coordinator for the department as well. Samia was born and raised in Jordan and is fluent in Arabic and English. She holds a bachelor’s degree in History of Art and Architecture from Harvard University and a dual degree masters in Architecture and Landscape Architecture from University of Pennsylvania.
  • Kanon Ida

    Kanon Ida

    Client Liaison & Researcher

    London

    Kanon Ida is the Client Liaison & Researcher in the Chairman’s Office EMEA, supporting the company’s regional growth and cross-category client development. 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 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.

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Vibrant watercolor painting depicts a profile view of a person, rendered with expressive, swirling strokes and a rich palette of colors.

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