Art Against Authoritarianism in Southwest Asia and North Africa

Over the past decade, there has been a burgeoning interest in the realm of art activism within the South West Asia and North Africa region, shedding light on the political implications of aesthetic representation. Nevertheless, a critical inquiry into how political aesthetics can formulate both discernible and imperceptible resistance strategies in response to resurging authoritarianism and counter-revolution after the 2011 uprisings in the region remains conspicuously absent. This text delves into a comprehensive examination of diverse art forms, ranging from street art and cinema to performance art, as well as music and theatre, scrutinizing the manifestations of aesthetic resilience at the epicenter of the political resistance against oppression and authoritarianism in Sudan, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Lebanon, Yemen and Syria.
The authors employ a multifaceted approach to investigate aesthetic activism, encompassing analysis of visibility, ephemerality, and speech within the public sphere, the establishment and perpetuation of collective transnational solidarities, the portrayal of suppressed identities and narratives, and the innovation of alternative mechanisms for producing and disseminating art.