Arab Issues in Contemporary Western and Arab Art

Abstract

The study aims to explore the content of artworks by Western and Arab artists, which embodied Arab humanitarian and political issues, depicting the destruction, devastation, and displacement caused by Arab wars, conflicts, and revolutions, thereby raising awareness about contemporary Arab issues. The study employs analytical and comparative methods to analyze a selection of artworks by Western and Arab artists created between 1998 and 2019. Among the key findings are that the artworks shed light on Arab issues, inhuman violations, war suffering, occupation, and the effects of torture in prisons. Some artworks exhibit satire and sarcasm in expressing Arab political issues, while others are characterized by abstraction and symbolism, reflecting the artists' individuality in addressing their concerns. Certain Western artworks depicted exaggerated realism and satire, reflecting war forms and effects. Artists employed various styles and methods, including drawing, photography, multimedia, conceptual, and performance art, to depict these issues. The study concludes that contemporary Western and Arab artists' endeavors served as influential elements in shaping global awareness of the impacts of war and occupation in the Arab world, expressing Arab humanitarian and political issues through their visual artworks. Both Western and contemporary Arab artists adopt their unique styles and techniques to address Arab humanitarian issues, forming artistic image embodying war, conflict, and the suffering of contemporary Arab individuals.