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writing

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2025

- Jane and Louise Wilson interview for The New World magazine 
Why 1985 Was A Landmark Year For Reggae for the GRAMMY Awards website
- Edward Burra and Ithell Colquhoun solo exhibitions review for the New York Observer
The Albums That Shaped Dubstep's First Decade for Discogs
- Kneecap at Rock en Seine review for The New World magazine
Connecting Thin Black Lines exhibition review for the New York Observer
Abstract Erotic exhibition review for the New York Observer
Living In Squares and Loving In Triangles: Drawing Portraits of the Bloomsbury Group for Art UK
Preserving the Power of Drawing: 25 Years of the Royal Drawing School for Art UK
The Ska Albums That Defined Jamaica's Music Revolution (1963-1970) for Discogs
Essential Industrial Records: 1979-1993 for Discogs
- José María Velasco A View of Mexico exhibition review for the New York Observer
- Global Ear: Dhaka article for The Wire
25 Years of Tate Turbine Hall Commissions for the New York Observer
The History of the Motorik Beat in 10 Records for Discogs 
The Essential Albums That Defined 4AD's First Decade for Discogs
Essential African Albums That Redefined the Electric Guitar for Discogs
Essential Dub Records: 1973 - 1985 for Discogs 
Drawing St Ives: Modernism and French Rot in 20th Century Cornwall for Art UK
Essential Dancehall DJ Albums 1973 -1985 for Discogs 
Noah Davis exhibition review for the New York Observer 
Linder: Danger Came Smiling exhibition review for the New York Observer
The Untold Story of Afghanistan's Medical Warriors for Service95 
Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism exhibition review for the New York Observer
Essential Roots Reggae Albums from the 1970s to '80s for Discogs 
- Takashi Murakami Japanese Art History à la Takashi Murakami exhibition review for the New York Observer
- Jordan Adetunji interview for the GRAMMYs website 
- Sadler's Wells East and the YFX Youth Festival for the New York Observer
The Great Mughals exhibition review for the New York Observer

2024

- Electric Dreams exhibition review for the New York Observer
- Hew Locke: What Have We Here? exhibition review for the New York Observer
- The National Gallery: NG Stories exhibition review for the New York Observer
- Who Killed the GIF? for City A.M. magazine
- MARY MARY exhibition review for the New York Observer
- Ian Davenport: Playful Experiments With Paint for Art UK
- 15 Essential IDM Albums for Discogs
- Francis Bacon: Human Presence exhibition review for the New York Observer
- Hard Graft at the Wellcome Collection for exhibition review for the New York Observer
- Essential Japanese Jazz Records: 1953 - Present for Discogs
- 30 Years of Metalheadz: A Drum'n'Bass Legacy for Discogs
- Global Para Athletes for Service95
- DOMINION at Damien Hirst's London Gallery exhibition review for the New York Observer
- Colour and Memory In the Work of Howard Hodgkin for Art UK
- Why London's Fourth Plinth Is Worth a Visit for the New York Observer
- The Devastating Effects of the War in Sudan for Service95
- State Feminism and Arab Women for Service95
- Why Salman Rushdie Is Still One of Literature's Important Figures for Service95
- Leon Kossoff: London, Figuration and the Old Masters for Art UK
- Frank Auerbach Charcoal Heads exhibition review for the New York Observer
- Barbara Kruger Thinking of You. I Mean Me. I Mean You exhibition review for the New York Observer
Sonita Alizadeh interview for Service95 
- Who Was Jan Toorop, the Artist Who Inspired Gustav Klimt?
for the New York Observer 

2023

- Wols and the Tachisme Art Movement for Whitehot magazine
- Beirut album review for Paste magazine
- What is the Metaverse, Exactly? for Service95
- Artist George Wyllie feature for The National
Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation in the UAE for The New Internationalist
Embroidered Tales: The Women Voicing Resistance Through Craftivism for Service95
- Vagabon album review for Paste magazine
The Ongoing Fight For Inclusivity in Esports for Service95
The Rise of Literary Censorship for Service95 
- naafi interview for The National - July issue 
South Korea's Feminist 4B Movement for Service95
Federico García Lorca, Flamenco And The Spirit Of Duende for The New Voice
Ukrainian Artists Find Haven in Scotland for The National 
The Love Hihad Conspiracy Theory for Service95
- The Delgados and the Chemikal Underground record label feature for The National
Callas and Pasolini: The Diva and the Director for The New European
- Silver Moth album preview for The National

The Accursed Share exhibition preview / curator interview for The National
- Tiffany Boyle curator interview for The National
Final Girls for Service95
Zen and the Art of Antoni Tapies for The New European
- Mark Jenkin interview for The New European

2022

 

- Belarus Free Theatre: Exiles Theatre of War for The New European 

- William Kentridge: SYBIL for The New Voice website
Moving Images: The Human Rights Watch Film Festivals for Lay It Out magazine
Tulips, NFTs and Natural Exuberance for Lay It Out magazine
- Mumufication: The KLF and Being In With the Bricks for The National 
Louise Bourgeois: The Woven Child for The New Voice website
NFTs, Post-internet Art, and Why Constant Dullaart Buys Fake Social Media Followers for the CLOT website
- Ivo von Hove Interview for The New European
- The Return of Belle and Sebastian for The National
- Gentle Sinners interview for The National 

- Clare Grogan: The Return of the Queen of Pop for The National 

- Lucian Freud's Male Gaze for the Reaction website

- Caravaggio: The Man Who Invented Cinema for The New European 
Soheila Sokhanvari & Women's Rights in Iran for Service95
Jan Švankmajer: The Czech Curiosity Shop for The New European

- Matthew Arthur Williams interview for The National

 

2021

- Hogarth & Europe - Tate exhibition curator interview for The New European
- Singing Wells - East African music article for Songlines
- Shilpa Gupta In Conversation for the FLUX website

- Experimental Words: Where Poetry Meets Science for the CLOT website
Is the Protest Song Dead? for The New European
- What's It Like To Own a Bansky? for The New European

2018

- guest editor for the month of April for The Sampler (UK Arts Council-backed new music website) 

2016

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- Bringing the Noise: The Early Days of Sound Art in the UAE - Contemporary Practices magazine article - Spring/Summer issue
- A Tale of Two Cities: The Dubai and Abu Dhabi Art Scenes - Contemporary Practices magazine article - Spring/Summer issue
- Sara Al Haddad artist interview/profile (Sara Al Haddad - Into Orbit) Harpers Bazaar Art Arabia magazine - Spring issue

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2015


- Edward Sutcliffe artist interview/profile (Copying and the Compton Cricket Club) - Harper’s Bazaar Art Arabia magazine - Sept issue
- UAE: Unlimited Arab Exploration: group art exhibition in Dubai curated by Mohammed Kazem and Cristiani de Marchi - Forward Voice and the Potency of Art: exhibition catalogue essay 


2014


- Giorgio Moroder’s Pyramid: group art exhibition in Dubai - exhibition catalogue essay
- Artist profile: Cristiana de Marchi - Contemporary Practices magazine - Spring issue
- peace in an open space: group art exhibition in Dubai - exhibition catalogue essay


2013


- Sound art article (Vipralambha: Union Through Separation) - Guernica website - July 
- Arcadia Blank artist interview/profile (The Medium and the Message) - Harper’s Bazaar Art Arabia magazine - Summer issue
- Tectonic: The Moving Museum – Dubai group exhibition review - Harper’s Bazaar Art Arabia magazine - Spring issue
- Sara Al Haddad artist interview/profile (Sara Al Haddad: Artist In Progress) - Harper’s Bazaar Art Arabia magazine - Winter issue

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2012

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- Sound art in the UAE article (Renegade Soundwaves) - Harper’s Bazaar Art Arabia magazine - Winter issue

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1995 – 2010

- Articles and reviews for bbc.co.uk, The Face, TOUCH and Blues & Soul. 

© Simon Coates 2025

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