“The Fertile Crescent: Gender, Art and Society” was conceived and produced by Ferris Olin and Judith K. Brodsky, co-directors of the Institute for Women and Art at Rutgers University. An ambitious and program of exhibitions, public events, and an accompanying catalog of the same title centered around the work of twenty-four contemporary feminist artists of Middle Eastern heritage, who sought not to be pigeonholed by national or religious identities. The work of these artists examines and reveals global perspectives on the complex social, theological, and historic issues that have, and continue to shape, the state of women in the Middle East.

Artists in the exhibition: Negar Ahkami, Shiva Ahmadi, Jananne Al-Ani, Fatima Al Qadiri, Monira Al Qadiri, Reza Farkondeh & Ghada Amer, Zeina Barakeh, Ofri Cnaani, Nezaket Ekici, Diana El Jeiroudi, Parastou Forouhar, Ayana Friedman, Shadi Ghadirian, Mona Hatoum, Hayv Kahraman, Efrat Kedem, Sigalit Landau, Ariane Littman, Shirin Neshat, Ebru Özseçen, Laia Shawa, Shahzia Sikander, Fatimah Tuggar, Nil Yalter