Rewiring Narratives: New Media Art from the Arab World

Rewiring Narratives: New Media Art from the Arab World rethinks the positioning of artistic and media practices from the Arab world in the grander discourse of New Media Art; not through the mere filling of representational gaps, but through a rethinking of the field as a whole. Emphasizing localized histories, cultural frameworks, political contexts, and technological conditions, this volume maps a dispersed yet interconnected terrain of Arab artists, institutions, and works that challenge linear notions of modernity and authorship. The editorial essay by Haytham Nawar and Ala Younis calls for a methodological shift; situating Arab media art through its own material and social conditions, from early cinema and state infrastructures to post-2011 digital practices, positioning it as dynamic rather than derivative. Contributions by artists and scholars range from essays on media’s historical roots, code-based painting, and video art flows, to studies of Egyptian cinema, Moroccan media, gaming, archives, and digital glitches. Published following Maknana: An Archaeology of New Media Art from the Arab World (Diriyah Art Futures, 2025), the book foregrounds Arab media art as a site of original experimentation, innovation, and global dialogue.