Tamayouz is proud to announce that Suhail Sami Nader, a Copenhagen-based Iraqi critic and author, has been named the laureate of its 2024 Special Recognition Award. This prestigious accolade, part of the Tamayouz Excellence Awards, is presented biennially to individuals or organisations significantly contributing to humanity, architecture, and the built environment.
Suhail Sami Nader, the fourth recipient of the Special Recognition Award, has been a pivotal figure in Iraqi artistic and cultural discourse since the mid-1960s. His extensive work, including critical studies, editorials, and books, has greatly expanded the understanding of Iraqi art and its broader cultural context. Suhail has shaped a generation of Iraqi writers and journalists through his mentorship and influence.
This marks the first time the Special Recognition Award has been given to an art critic. Suhail’s selection underscores the importance of art criticism at a time when much of it is commercially driven. Suhail’s new comprehensive book, which reviews Iraqi art and highlights the works of a group of Iraqi artists, will be published as part of the award.
Through his art books, Suhail invites readers on a journey that captures the spirit of the era in which artworks were created and the environment of the artists, documenting its cultural memory. This allows future generations to appreciate and understand the historical context of Iraqi art.
Born in Basra in 1943, Suhail Sami Nader’s career has been marked by numerous milestones:
- Worked at the Iraqi Public Press and Publishing Corporation during his studies.
- Graduated with a BSc in Sociology from the University of Baghdad in 1969.
- Served as the editor of “Majalati wa Almizmar” from 1961 to 1965 and as a cultural editor for “Al-Jumhuriya” newspaper in Baghdad from 1972 to 1979.
- Was a correspondent for “Arab Arts” magazine in London in 1982, and editorial secretary for “Aliph Ba’a” magazine from 1983 to 1993.
- Co-founded the Iraqi Association of Art Critics in 1983 with Jabra Ibrahim Jabra and others.
- Contributed critical studies to the cultural supplement of the Emirati Al-Ittihad newspaper between 1995 and 1999.
- Served as the executive editor of Al-Mada newspaper, then its executive editor-in-chief from 2003 to 2006.
His notable publications include:
- Novel: “The Hill” (2003)
- Book: “Al-khashin wa Al-na’em” Parts One and Two (2012, 2013)
- Book: “The Iraqi Patient” (2016)
- Book: “Shaker Hassan Al Saeed – An Artistic and Intellectual Biography” (2016)
- Book: “Bad Luck – Memories of a Journalist in the Age of Revolutions” (2020)
- Book: “Down from the Doorsteps – A Collection of Articles in Culture and Arts” (2020)
- Novel: “July 14 Neighbourhood” (2023)
- “The Arab Riviera” and “The Star’s Fever” – Two Short Novels (2024)
Ahmed Al-Mallak, founding director of the Tamayouz Excellence Award, expressed his admiration, stating, “We are delighted to have Suhail Sami Nader as this year’s laureate. Throughout his career, he has been a role model to younger generations of authors and journalists in Iraq. His publications and mentorship have inspired many, and his studies have been crucial in expanding the understanding of Iraqi art. His critical studies document the evolution of art thought and its cultural context.”
In its previous cycle the Special Recognition Award was given to the Paris-based British professor, researcher and archaeologist Alastair Northedge.
The prize will be presented at the biennial ceremony, which will be announced at the end of 2024.
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.