Slowly but surely, Middle Eastern art is gaining international recognition, a transformation in which, whether as collectors or directors, writers or curators, Middle Eastern women are playing a vital role. We have compiled a list of 10 influential women in the Middle East’s art scene who are leading creativity in the region and challenging stereotypes as they do so.

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ON an evening just a few days before his novel would win a top Arabic literary prize, Ahmed Saadawi was relaxing with his writer friends at a Baghdad cafe, a place so special to him that he had written it into his book.

About an hour after he left, a suicide bomber struck, wounding several of his friends and killing some others. It was a common enough experience for Mr. Saadawi — as it is for anyone who has lived for the last decade in Baghdad, where the simple matter of timing can determine who lives and who dies.

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