Saria AlMidani

Born in Damascus, Syria, Saria studied Arts at the University of Kalamoon and left Syria for the U.S. to seek asylum in 2014. Saria AlMidani is the Assistant to the Chief Curator at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City. Saria works with Ms. Naomi Beckwith on various administrative and curatorial functions. Most recently, Saria supported Ms. Beckwith on her latest exhibition, By Way Of: Material and Motion in the Guggenheim Collection.

Saria is also a writer and has been writing and translating in various capacities since 2011. Outside of the Guggenheim, Saria’s research focus is on Syrian artists. While this focus is rooted in the simple yet dire need to research, archive, contextualize, and advocate for Syrian art and artists, AlMidani is also interested in the ways artists in the region work through complex and changing themes such as exile, geopolitics, language, identity, and heritage. More specifically, Saria’s framework– whether in writing, through curatorial work, or as an art practice, is based on the Syrian revolution and its political and cultural impact. AlMidani has published on Syria, its revolution, and mass immigration on platforms such as Syria Untold, Jeem, and AlHayya Magazine.

AlMidani also researched and wrote for podcasts like Branch 251 and A’adeh. Most recently, AlMidani supported Dr. Anneka Lenssen at the University of Berkeley in her research for a publication covering Syrian Artist Moustafa Fathi’s exhibition Syrie: Signes D'étoffe in 1989.

Links mentioned in the episode:

Saria AlMidani's website

Link to the exhibition: By Way Of: Material and Motion in the Guggenheim

Collection, and its press release.

Al-Ayoun collective

Hiwar is a podcast by the Atassi Foundation for Arts and Culture. It’s a series of interviews in Arabic with Syrian artists, curators, and researchers interested in Syrian modern and contemporary art.

Please reach out to our email: info@atassifoundation.com