Join us for a special art lecture and talk with Saeb Eigner, offering a journey through more than a century of modern and contemporary art from the Middle East and North Africa, as documented in his latest book 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.
He 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.
The lecture will be followed by a Q&A session with Sotheby's Ashkan Baghestani.
Artists of the Middle East: 1900 to Now will be available for sale during the event.
Speakers
Saeb Eigner, Austrian by birth, spent his early years travelling across 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 of the Dubai Financial Services Authority in 2004, he played a key role in establishing one of the world’s leading financial centers, serving as Chairman of the DFSA from 2011 to 2021.
He is a former Governor of his alma mater, London Business School, and Chair of its Audit and Risk Committee. He serves on several boards related to finance, education, and the arts, and is a speaker on global business and economic issues across major media platforms. He is deeply committed to the arts and education as tools for cultural connection and social advancement.
He is the author of Sand to Silicon (2002, 2008) and Art of the Middle East (2010, 2015), and co-curated the British Museum’s Word into Art exhibitions in London and Dubai (2006, 2008). He is also the author of Artists of the Middle East: 1900 to Now (2025).
Ashkan Baghestani (moderator) began his career at Sotheby's London in 2012 in the Middle East department, focusing on the company’s inaugural Doha auctions. In 2019, he joined the Contemporary department as a Head of Sale and Director for Middle Eastern and International Contemporary Art. In 2021, he relocated to New York to head Sotheby’s Contemporary Curated auctions, and since 2013 has been Head of the Contemporary Art Day Sale. In 2017, he headed Boundless: Dubai, the first international auction held in Dubai. He also oversaw the first single-owner Middle Eastern sale at Sotheby’s, Alchemy: Objects of Desire (2016) and the first non-selling exhibition, from the Estate of Artist Manoucher Yektai (2019).
He also travels widely across the Middle East, establishing a continuous educational program and directing Sotheby’s numerous travelling exhibitions. In February 2025 Ashkan headed the historic inaugural auction in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Origins: Riyadh, which achieved $17.5 million. He was born and raised in Geneva, Switzerland, and has lived and worked in Paris, New York and London. Before joining Sotheby's, he studied Design and Management at Parson’s, The New School for Design earning a BBA Degree in 2009 and later a diploma in Middle Eastern Art from Sotheby’s Institute in 2011. He also worked for the Jameel Prize at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
Artists of the Middle East: 1900 to Now with Saeb Eigner
Host
Wed, Apr 29, 06:30 PM - 08:00 PM (EDT)
To be shared on approval (New York)
40 attendees
Join us for a special art lecture and talk with Saeb Eigner, offering a journey through more than a century of modern and contemporary art from the Middle East and North Africa, as documented in his latest book 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.
He 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.
The lecture will be followed by a Q&A session with Sotheby's Ashkan Baghestani.
Artists of the Middle East: 1900 to Now will be available for sale during the event.
Speakers
Saeb Eigner, Austrian by birth, spent his early years travelling across 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 of the Dubai Financial Services Authority in 2004, he played a key role in establishing one of the world’s leading financial centers, serving as Chairman of the DFSA from 2011 to 2021.
He is a former Governor of his alma mater, London Business School, and Chair of its Audit and Risk Committee. He serves on several boards related to finance, education, and the arts, and is a speaker on global business and economic issues across major media platforms. He is deeply committed to the arts and education as tools for cultural connection and social advancement.
He is the author of Sand to Silicon (2002, 2008) and Art of the Middle East (2010, 2015), and co-curated the British Museum’s Word into Art exhibitions in London and Dubai (2006, 2008). He is also the author of Artists of the Middle East: 1900 to Now (2025).
Ashkan Baghestani (moderator) began his career at Sotheby's London in 2012 in the Middle East department, focusing on the company’s inaugural Doha auctions. In 2019, he joined the Contemporary department as a Head of Sale and Director for Middle Eastern and International Contemporary Art. In 2021, he relocated to New York to head Sotheby’s Contemporary Curated auctions, and since 2013 has been Head of the Contemporary Art Day Sale. In 2017, he headed Boundless: Dubai, the first international auction held in Dubai. He also oversaw the first single-owner Middle Eastern sale at Sotheby’s, Alchemy: Objects of Desire (2016) and the first non-selling exhibition, from the Estate of Artist Manoucher Yektai (2019).
He also travels widely across the Middle East, establishing a continuous educational program and directing Sotheby’s numerous travelling exhibitions. In February 2025 Ashkan headed the historic inaugural auction in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Origins: Riyadh, which achieved $17.5 million. He was born and raised in Geneva, Switzerland, and has lived and worked in Paris, New York and London. Before joining Sotheby's, he studied Design and Management at Parson’s, The New School for Design earning a BBA Degree in 2009 and later a diploma in Middle Eastern Art from Sotheby’s Institute in 2011. He also worked for the Jameel Prize at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.