London – From a 2025 Turner Prize nominee to landmark pieces of Iraqi Modernism, Bonhams' upcoming Modern & Contemporary Middle Eastern Art live auction on 25 November at New Bond Street, London, presents a compelling selection of works by pioneering artists from across the region. Building on the success of Bonhams' recent Judhoor/Roots: The Origins of Saudi Modernism exhibition in Riyadh, this auction reaffirms the house's commitment to showcasing the depth and diversity of Middle Eastern art. The Judhoor section is the first of its kind at an international auction, tracing the emergence of Saudi modern art from its early trailblazers to the ambitious voices that shaped its evolution in the 1980s and beyond.

Among the highlights are four exceptional works by the prominent Iraqi modernist Mahmoud Sabri (Iraq, 1927–2012), consigned directly from the artist's estate. A founding member of the Baghdad Group for Modern Art, Sabri's oeuvre reflects a lifelong engagement with social justice, metaphysical inquiry, and formal innovation. His 1962 masterpiece Mother and Child leads the sale with an estimate of £100,000–150,000, offering a poignant glimpse into his Moscow period, where Soviet realist discipline met universal themes of family and humanity. Other works from Sabri include Public Bath estimated at £40,000–60,000, a rare nude composition exploring the intellectual openness of Baghdad's mid-century modernist milieu, and two further canvases that span his evolution from realist depictions of peasant life to metaphysical abstraction.

A contemporary counterpoint comes from Mohammed Sami (Iraq, b. 1984), whose monumental 2014 painting We're All Alone estimated at £80,000–100,000 reflects themes of displacement and memory. Selected as Best Artwork of 2014 by Saatchi Art curator Rebecca Wilson, the work exemplifies Sami's emotionally resonant style. As a leading contender for the 2025 Turner Prize, Sami is currently one of the most internationally successful contemporary artists from the Middle East, with works held in major collections including MoMA and the Pinault Collection.

Also featured, from Palestine, Sliman Mansour (b. 1947) is represented with his work Woman from Bethlehem estimated at £60,000–80,000, a deeply symbolic portrait of the artist's wife painted in 1987. The work embodies Mansour's vision of Palestinian identity and endurance, with the horizon's golden glow suggesting hope and continuity. This rare piece was gifted to Nancy Lolas, the first female leader of Chile's Palestinian Federation, and exhibited in 1999 at the Palestinian Club in Chile. It has remained in the same family collection since and is now coming to market for the first time.

From Egypt, Omar El-Nagdi's (1931–2019) Acqua Della Vita (The Water of Life) estimated at £20,000–30,000 stands out as a rare 1960 composition first exhibited at the Opera Bevilacqua La Masa in Venice and later at the 31st Venice Biennale. The work captures the dignity of everyday life in post-revolution Egypt and marks El-Nagdi's emergence on the international stage.

The sale also includes a group of works by Marwan Kassab-Bachi (Syria, 1934–2016) from the private collection of Timothy Egert, the longest-serving employee of the U.S. State Department. These 1970s works—Kopf (Head) estimated at £15,000–25,000, Kopf (No. 102) estimated at £3,000–5,000, Kopf (No. 117) estimated at £4,000–6,000, and Gesicht II estimated at £5,000–7,000, were all acquired from Marwan's first solo show in New York in 1976 at Grenebaum Gallery and retain their original gallery labels. Unseen for decades, they offer collectors a rare opportunity to acquire prime-period works from a long-term private collection.

A highlight of the Saudi listings of this sale, include Abdulrahman Al Soliman (Saudi Arabia, born 1954) Mountain Amongst the Palms, estimated at £40,000–60,000. This deeply personal work comes directly from Abdulrahman Al Soliman's own collection and has been hanging in his home since the 1980s. Painted using earth he collected from Al-Ahsa during a school trip; the piece holds immense sentimental value and is considered one of his personal favourites. Born in 1954 and based in Dammam, Al Soliman is a prominent Saudi artist whose practice is rooted in local culture and literature. In the late 1970s, he became a key figure in the "local art" movement, which sought to celebrate Saudi heritage and identity through visual expression.

Another is, Safeya Binzagr (Saudi Arabia, 1940–2024) Traditional Attire, estimated at £30,000–50,000 presented for the first time at auction, a complete and exceptionally rare set of thirty hand-coloured lithographs by Safeya Binzagr; a groundbreaking female figure in Saudi modern art and one of the Kingdom's most influential cultural voices. This full set, acquired directly from her family, showcases all the works she created on female attire, each individually hand-worked in ink, gold leaf, and silver leaf. Binzagr's works are incredibly difficult to find, and complete sets like this are almost never seen, making this offering a landmark moment in the recognition of her extraordinary legacy.

Noor Soussi, Head of Department for Bonhams Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art in London, commented: "This season's sale reflects the growing international recognition of the richness and diversity of 20th & 21st century Middle Eastern art. Most of the works presented have never appeared at auction before, offering collectors a rare opportunity to acquire pieces of outstanding quality and historical significance. We are especially proud to include works coming directly from artists' estates and private collections, many with remarkable provenance, exhibition, and publication histories. The Judhoor section marks a historic first as the first dedicated Saudi section ever presented at an international auction, tracing the emergence of Saudi modernism through its pioneering voices and highlighting the evolution of the region's artistic identity."

Other highlights include:

•Mahmoud Sabri (Iraq, 1927-2012) H20 + AG + AiR (From the Quantum Realism Series), estimated at £50,000 – 80,000.

•Louay Kayyali (Syria, 1934-1978) The Young Lovers (Al Ashiqan Al Saghiran) estimated at £50,000 – 80,000.

•Jewad Selim (Iraq, 1919-1961) Still life with Statuette estimated at £50,000 – 80,000.

•Mahmoud Sabri (Iraq, 1927-2012) Study of a Rural Family, estimated £15,000 – 25,000.

•Fouad Kamel (Egypt, 1919-1973) Portrait of the Artists Sister Kadriya Kamel, estimated at £30,000 – 50,000.

•Kamel El-Telmissany (Egypt, 1915-1972) Figure d'Aujourd'hui, estimated at £35,000 – 50,000.

•Kamel El-Telmissany (Egypt, 1915-1972) The Crucifixion, estimated at £20,000 – 30,000.