Manar is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in History, Theory, and Criticism of Art and Architecture at MIT, where her research is deeply informed by eco-critical, feminist, and decolonial perspectives. These academic inquiries are integral to her newer artistic explorations, which engage with questions of environmental sustainability, decolonial urbanism, and social justice. Her work has been exhibited across the Middle East, Mexico, Canada, and Europe, in spaces such as the Künstlerhaus Bethanien (Berlin), Dar Bellarj (Marrakech), and SOMA (Mexico City). Manar’s artistic and research projects have garnered support from major institutions, including the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, Mophradat, and the Canada Council for the Arts, as well as the Toronto, Ontario, and Quebec Arts Councils. In 2023, she was awarded the Harold and Arlene Schnitzer Prize for the Arts at MIT and was a fellow at the Harvard Film Studies Center.
Her writing, which includes both academic and creative publications, has appeared in academic journals, edited volumes, and self-published zines. She is also the co-author of Sidewalk Salon: 1001 Street Chairs of Cairo, an exploration of public space in Cairo. In addition to her artistic practice and academic research, Manar has taught at the University of Toronto and the University of Waterloo, and she regularly contributes to editorial work in journals and publications. Her work is driven by a commitment to social justice, environmental futures, and the decolonization of architecture and cultural heritage, bridging critical theory with hands-on creative practice.
Manar is Egyptian-Canadian, born in Kuwait.
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