As visitors to destinations in the Middle East will know, the reality of the region is very different to the images we see on our televisions every night. From Beirut to Tehran, Cairo to Dubai, there is a discernible buzz in these cities, one that has little to do with traditional images and everything to do with forward-looking modern life. There is a flowering of cultural life, a boom in the modern art scene of the Middle East, one that is driven by intelligence, creativity and bemused engagement. And this verve and vitality is nowhere more apparent than in the pages of Bidoun magazine. Created as a platform for ideas and an open forum for exchange, dialogue and opinions about arts and culture from the Middle East, Bidoun aims to bring together a range of cultural expression from this vast region and not only does it feature articles about and even by artists, it features the art itself, often commissioning pieces for show in the magazine's pages and on its cover. And the publication is distinctive not just for its unique approach to contemporary culture in the Middle East. Each issue is also a gorgeous tome, beautifully produced, artfully put together and reflecting with its tone the humour and irreverence of the subject matter.... http://impressions-ba.com/features. php?id_feature=10435