The Middle East is right in centre of Alejandra Castro Rioseco’s work
- 23 Jan 2025
Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer
Alejandra Castro Rioseco is the Founder of MIA Art Collection, an art promotion major. Alejandra notes that “it is an international private, not-for-profit art collection that unites, visualises, and supports exclusively the role of women artists and their works, reaching across borders, to over 33 countries and 900 works of art, since a decade and half. MIA Art Collection collaborates with distinguished museums, organisations, art collectors, and leading brands across the world, supporting our vision.” The Collection has been a leading voice of women artists, organising exhibitions in Dubai titled ‘Sense of Women’ (2021); Serendipity (2022); Fragility (2023); What A Wonderful World in Abu Dhabi (2023); Lavinia (2024) and La Belleza (Poetry & Art, 2024). Last year, it offered institutional support to the Menart Fair Paris, which was for the first time dedicated to women artists from the Middle East and North Africa region, where Alejandra took part in a panel discussion titled ‘Inspire inclusion: Women in the Creative Industry’. She speaks to Gulf Today
What made you interested in Middle East art?
I have always been interested in Middle Eastern art; I am part Spanish, part South American, and our cultures have always been united. For decades, the art of the Middle East or Islamic art or Arabic art, has been well known and has set standards and been a point of reference in the art world. Of course, coming to live here nearly a decade ago, has allowed me to deepen my understanding and appreciation even more of this beautiful land and its artists.
Do you suffer culture shock when you see art of this region?
Yes. Because one always thinks that Europe is the leader in the creation of art - it is what we have learned and what we have been taught in schools. But when you travel and discover the art of the Middle East and see the years that it goes back to, I get the impression that we have not been giving the visibility the art of this region deserves; not only art, but also architecture, literature, poetry and music.
Why does the MIA Art Collection focus primarily on women?
I have worked on different social and professional projects, always related to supporting women. I started studying why there were so few women in the art world and the answer that came back to me was always the same! The lack of visibility and opportunities for women artists, the lack of support so that they could reconcile their work and professional lives and motherhood. So I decided to dedicate part of my life to this, to create public and private projects to support women.
Do you think Middle Eastern art can live on an equal terms with European art?
I would even go further — I believe that the future is in these countries, in their evolution which is very fast, and in adaptation and equality. I see with very positive eyes how the UAE advances; it is an inclusive country and I always tell people how I feel safe here, cared for and loved. I think that the art of women from the Middle East is very strong and profound.
Why does the European media mostly ignore Middle Eastern art?
In my humble opinion, I think that firstly there is a great deal of misinformation and then the presence of marketing that erroneously portrays the Middle East as an arid and rudimentary land! There are also many topics that possibly politically do not suit the world to address in detail or even discover, like learning the great stories of Arab philosophers, architects, and astronomers! We should all be able to see cities of such historical value like Damascus, discover AlUla in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the historical richness of Iran and Iraq, the museums of Sharjah, amazing bookstores, history museums in Lebanon and Egypt, among many others.
Do you think Europeans don’t accept Middle Eastern art?
They do accept it. And little by little, they embrace it. The new generations and the academic and diplomatic worlds are doing a great job for integration to occur; proof of this is that the most important museums in the world like Guggenheim and Louvre, have set their eyes on the Middle East!
What should be done to popularise Middle Eastern art in Europe?
One of the weak points that I see in the Middle East is that there is a lot of orientation towards the economic aspects of art, a lot of value placed on art fairs and galleries, that are ultimately business ventures. I believe that creating institutions that enhance cultural exchange can bring about great changes. The right people must be put in strategic positions, who add value.
Can you summarise the achievements of MIA Art Collection?
We can mention that every year we hold one or two exhibitions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, mixing international and local art, and help people understand what philanthropy is, and the need to support it. The MIA Art Collection Gala and Awards bring together every year more than 150 high-level international personalities in the world of art. The MIA Award is given to distinguished individuals and it increases the visibility of artists. The support of brands such as Bulgari, DIFC and Mont Blanc has been crucial for our project in the Middle East. I firmly believe that a more egalitarian society is a more elevated society!