Sharjah Award For Artistic Criticism Unveils Winners Of Its 16th Edition

The winners of the sixteenth session of the Sharjah Award for Artistic Criticism Research have been revealed. Organised by the Department of Culture, this award is under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. The announcement followed a meeting between the General Secretariat and the award’s judging committee.

The committee's meeting was held to review their report, which outlined the judging process and identified the winners. Azzedine Bourka from Morocco secured first place with his research titled "Manifestations of Heritage and Moving Identity in Contemporary Arab Visual Patterns: A Cultural Approach." Ahmed Gamal Eid from Egypt took second place for his work on "Visual Memory: Arab Heritage in the Manifestations of Contemporary Plastic Art." Third place went to Riad Ben Haj Ahmed from Tunisia for his research on "The Image of the Horse in Contemporary Arab Arts: Towards Deconstructing the Symbol and Creating a Different Discourse."

Mohammed Al Qasir, Director of Cultural Affairs at the Department of Culture and Secretary-General of the Award, highlighted the significance of this initiative. He stated, "The Sharjah Award for Critical Research in Fine Arts is proceeding in a new cycle, confirming the importance of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah for this field of knowledge that sheds light on Arab fine arts from various critical aspects. Based on His Highness’s vision, the Award has established a specialized critical culture that is the first of its kind in the Arab world in the field of fine art."

Al Qasir further noted that this session has enriched Arab critical literature with contributions from over fifty critics. The award attracted submissions from numerous Arab countries, showcasing its unique artistic and creative presentation across the region.

The judging committee employed a rigorous mechanism to evaluate submissions based on scientific and critical standards. They assessed how well researchers aligned with this session's theme, their depth in addressing intellectual aspects, clarity in methodology, consistency between results and premises, and linguistic accuracy.

This year saw 46 candidates vying for recognition, reflecting both dynamism in visual arts criticism within the Arab world and overall quality among nominated research.

The award continues to foster an environment where critical discourse around fine arts can thrive. It remains a significant platform for recognising scholarly contributions that explore diverse dimensions within contemporary Arab visual arts.

With inputs from WAM