Art Re-Renaissance in the Middle East

Like two bitterly competitive siblings, Eastern and Western cultures have always had a tempestuous relationship. Take for example, Persepolis: one country's war-torn turmoil became another country's Oscar-worthy contender for Best Animated Feature. Ultimately, it always boils down to one culture flourishing as the other founders.

So it’s not incredibly surprising that now, as every sector of American business seems poised to crumble and recoil, the art market in the Middle East—frequently censored—is just beginning to boom. And in doing so, it inspires ailing auction house Sotheby’s (apparently they didn’t make enough commissions from Damien Hirst) to set up shop in Qatar. Christie’s, on the other hand, has lined up Farhad Moshiri, billed as Iran’s answer to Jeff Koons. And on a grander scale, of course, the Louvre and the Guggenheim are replicating in Abu Dhabi as well. But to counteract any rash optimism, skeptics like critic Rose Issa claim that this upswing in the Middle Eastern art market could simply be a fickle product of shifting trends and fashions.