I’m an art historian who is fascinated by how art connects across cultures and time periods. My research focuses on artistic exchange between the Middle East and the West—a conversation that’s been going on for centuries. I examine how artistic ideas travel between the Middle East and the West, from Renaissance Venice to contemporary street art.
My work reveals unexpected connections: how Venetian painters borrowed from Islamic artistic and cultural traditions, how contemporary Gulf artists build on historical forms, and how street art continues age-old traditions of public commentary.
Through three books and ongoing research, I show how women artists across cultures have shaped these artistic conversations, often in ways that traditional histories have overlooked.
Recent Publications:
- Women and Contemporary Art in the Gulf (2023)
- Street Art in the Middle East (2019)
- Women in Early Modern Venetian Art: Fluid Identities (forthcoming)
My teaching and curatorial work bring these discoveries to students and public audiences, making the case that understanding artistic exchange helps us better understand our interconnected world.
I’m based in Searsport, Maine, and teach in the Honors College at the University of Maine in Orono.
Sabrina DeTurk 