7 Public artworks from Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia are the Dia al-Azzawi Prize 2024 shortlist finalists.
Tamayouz Excellence Award is delighted to announce the shortlist of finalists for the 2nd Dia al-Azzawi Prize for Public Art. This prize recognises transformative permanent and temporary artworks displayed in public spaces, ensuring their accessibility to wider communities.
The seven shortlist finalists from Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia were selected from 57 artworks received from across the Arab world. One winner will be selected from the shortlist for the Dia al-Azzawi Prize for Public Art.
The Public Art Prize, established in 2021, is the latest addition to the Tamayouz Excellence Award program, celebrating outstanding achievements in architecture worldwide. Named after the internationally acclaimed Iraqi artist Dia al-Azzawi, a pioneer of modern Arab art, the prize is awarded biennially.
This 2nd cycle of the prize honours artworks within the urban context that have had a transformative impact on their communities in the Arab World between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2022.
Criteria for Excellence:
Excellence is the fundamental criterion of the Dia al-Azzawi Prize for Public Art. Shortlisted entries achieve excellence through transformative impact on their environment, design, narrative, engagement, materials, and technique. Special attention was given to public art projects that represent the spirit or collective sentiment of modern times.
Jury Members:
Claudia Linders – The Netherlands: A Dutch architect, curator, and visual artist. Founder of Atelier Claudia Linders and holds various advisory and managerial positions, including Chair of Stadscuratorium, the Amsterdam City Curatorium for Art in Public Space, Chair of the Visual Arts Committee and member of the Cultural Advisory Committee of the Municipality of Nijmegen.
Mahmoud Al-Obaidi – Iraq/Canada: An Iraqi-Canadian artist with a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Guelph, Mahmoud curated more than 40 shows in different spaces around the world, including Saatchi Gallery – and Nabu Museum.
Philip Michael Wolfson – USA/UK: An American designer and architect who studied at Cornell University and the Architectural Association School of Architecture, where he met Zaha Hadid. He spent ten years as head of design with Hadid before establishing his studio in 1991. Michael’s work has been featured in leading international art and design exhibitions, galleries, and public venues worldwide.
Zaina Arida – Lebanon/Qatar: A cultural activist in the Arab world and has been the director of Mathaf, Arab Modern Art Museum in Doha, Qatar, since November 2021. Previously, she directed the Sursock Museum in Beirut from 2014 to 2021 and the Arab Image Foundation from 1997 to 2014. She is also a board member of CIMAM, ICOM QATAR, and several advisory committees related to art and culture.
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The Finalists:
The shortlist consists of 7 submissions from Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, selected from 57 longlisted submissions received from across the Arab world:
- Baghdad Renaissance Murals – Iraq
- Borderline – Jordan
- Break the Silence – Jordan
- Egal – Qatar
- Now You See Me, Now You Don’t – Saudi Arabia
- Us, Her, Him – Qatar
- Where the Dwellers Lay – Saudi Arabia
Ahmed Al-Mallak, the founding director of the Tamayouz Excellence Award, said:
“Congratulations to the finalists. We are delighted with the panel’s selection and proud to highlight these artworks’ contributions to their environments. Collectively, the finalists represent diverse artistic endeavors that capture community impact, cultural resonance, and innovative engagement with public spaces. Each project enhances its environment, strengthens communal bonds, and fosters cultural dialogue, creating visibility and stimulating debate among professionals.
After reviewing all entries, we commend the clients for supporting public art in the Arab world and encourage them to further invest in public art accessible to people in their daily lives, thereby strengthening the impact of good public art.”
The Finalists:
Artwork: Baghdad Renaissance Murals
Project Lead: Alaa Maan
Project Team: Wigdan Al Magid, Mohammed Alenazy, Hamdan Saray
Client: Baghdad Mayoralty
City – Country: Baghdad, Iraq
Description: Launched in December 2020, this initiative seeks to revitalise Baghdad’s cultural heritage and enhance citizens’ cultural sensibilities by transforming the urban landscape into an expansive gallery. Eighteen murals on former railway concrete blocks along the Iron Bridge and Tigris River depicted notable Iraqi, Arab, and international figures, inspiring public engagement with their humanitarian contributions and histories.
Artwork: Borderline – Architectural Installation
Project Lead: Mais al Azab
Project Team: AK Habitat, Mariam Alazzeh, Nisreen Kurdi, Zahra Alzoubi, Zaid Nsoor, Ayman Abu Khalifa
Client: Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts (Amman Design Week 2019, Fulbright Community Action Grant)
City – Country: Amman, Jordan
Description: An outdoor installation challenging the concept of borders, transforming a wall into a meeting place that promotes free movement and interaction, countering the notion of separation.
Artwork: Break the Silence – Mural
Project Lead: Dalal Mitwally, Miramar Al Nayyar
Project Team: ArtMeJo
Client: Embassy of the Netherlands in Jordan
City – Country: Amman, Jordan
Description: Created in 2019 to commemorate the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, this mural features a line of poetry by Seba Al Abbadi and portrays a woman’s strength and resilience amidst nationwide protests.
Artwork: Egal – Sculpture
Project Lead: Shouq Al-Mana
Project Team: Iprint, Imad Abi Faraj, Bernard Srouji, Mariam El Ghossein, Lablight, Nasri Rbeiz
Client: Qatar Museums
City – Country: Doha, Qatar
Description: A stainless-steel sculpture commemorating unity during the 2017 blockade. It combines cultural and contemporary elements, symbolising generational involvement through its varying heights and intricate design.
Artwork: Now You See Me, Now You Don’t
Project Lead: Manal AlDowayan
Client: Desert X AlUla, The Royal Commission of AlUla
City – Country: AlUla, Saudi Arabia
Description: This interactive artwork, featuring massive trampolines, explores the water crisis and climate change, inviting viewers to engage with its playful yet profound commentary on visibility and absence.
Artwork: Us, Her, Him – Site Specific Installation
Project Lead: Najla El Zein
Project Team: Friedman Benda Gallery, Marmgroup Lebanon (Craftsmen: Elia Lucas, Elia Boulos, Hakem Ibrahim, Omar Dabach, Khaled Dabach, Basel Kashkoush), Maria Tyakina, Dana Alaaeddine
Client: Qatar Museums
City – Country: Doha, Qatar
Description: A series of sculptural benches at the Flag Plaza reflect human interactions. Spanning 313 meters of hand-sculpted limestone, the installation emphasises the collective nature of individual fulfilment and unites diverse groups in a public space.
Artwork: Where the Dwellers Lay – Sculpture
Project Lead: Dana Awartani
Client: The Royal Commission for Al Ula
City – Country: Al Ula, Saudi Arabia
Description: A concave geometric sculpture inspired by the Nabataean tombs and Islamic geometry. This artwork merges diverse cultural heritages, referencing the architectural and decorative traditions of AlUla.
The 2nd Dia al-Azzawi Prize for Public Art winner will be announced in August 2024.
See the shortlist finalists of the 2022 Dia al-Azzawi Prize for Public Art.
Sponsors: The Tamayouz Excellence Award is sponsored by Coventry University, the Iraqi Business Council in Jordan, Kufa—Makiya Charity, Dewan Architects + Engineers, Bonair Ltd, the United Nations Global Compact—Iraq Network, Round City Magazine, and the Knowledge Hub Universities—Egypt.