‘Spectral Imprints’ - Five winning artworks of the prestigious Abraaj Capital Art Prize

The winning artists Taysir Batniji from Palestine, Wael Shawky from Egypt, Risham Syed from Pakistan, Joana Hadjithomas & Khalil Joreige and Raed Yassin from Lebanon were announced in October 2011 and unveiled at Art Dubai in 2012. In a departure from earlier formats used in Art Dubai, the winning artworks were displayed together in a unified exhibition curated by Nat Muller from The Netherlands, the selected Guest Curator for 2012.

The Abraaj Capital Art Prize, which is globally unique in that its awards are given on the basis of proposals rather than completed works, is now in its fourth edition. Since its inception at Art Dubai 2009, the prize has evolved considerably and this year the prize reaches a new level of maturity. The artworks become part of the Abraaj Capital Art Collection, and are often loaned to prestigious international institutions, for example the Venice Biennale (Nadia Kaabi-Linke, Jananne Al-Ani), Sydney Biennial (Jananne Al-Ani), La Triennale, Paris (Joana Hadjithomas & Khalil Joreige) and Modern Art Oxford (Shezad Dawood).

Frederic Sicre, Partner, Abraaj Capital comments: “The Abraaj Capital Art Prize is a key initiative in the Abraaj Strategic Stakeholder Engagement Track (ASSET). To empower talented artists with the resources to realise ambitious projects which take their practice to a new level of recognition is our core mission. As the Abraaj Capital Art Collection grows year upon year, we are proud to watch it diversify and see our previous winners attain further success on a global platform.”

Raed Yassin, Wae Shawky, Nat Muller, Khalil Joreige, Risham Syed, Joana Hadjithomas, Taysir Batniji, Savita Apte, ACAP 2012 / Courtesy of Abraaj Capital Art Prize

Taysir Batniji, born in Gaza, divides his time between France and Palestine. He has an interdisciplinary practice including drawing, painting, installation and performance often closely related to his background. He has exhibited in the latest Istanbul and Venice Biennials. Batniji is represented by Galerie Sfeir-Semler, Hamburg/Beirut and Galerie Eric Dupont, Paris. Personal history and memory are most eloquently demonstrated by Palestinian artist Taysir Batniji in his work To My Brother, a series of hand carvings from photographs on paper.

Taysir Batniji - ACAP 2012 winner / Courtesy of Abraaj Capital Art Prize

Taysir Batniji, To My Brother, 1 of 60, hand carving from photograph on paper, ACAP 2012 / Courtesy of Abraaj Capital Art Prize

Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige are artists and filmmakers. For the last 15 years they have focused on the images, representations and history of their home country, Lebanon. They are represented by CRG Gallery, New York, In Situ Fabienne Leclerc, Paris and The Third Line, Dubai and live between Beirut and Paris. Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige have formulated their project 'A Letter Can Always Reach its Destination' after many years of research and documentation, commenting on the spam emails we receive daily.

Khalil Joreige and Joana Hadjithomas - ACAP 2012 winners / Courtesy of Abraaj Capital Art Prize

Khalil Joreige and Joana Hadjithomas, A Letter Can Always Reach its Destination, 2012, Video-Installation, ACAP 2012 / Courtesy of Abraaj Capital Art Prize

Khalil Joreige and Joana Hadjithomas, A Letter Can Always Reach its Destination, 2012, Video-Installation, ACAP 2012 / Courtesy of Abraaj Capital Art Prize

Wael Shawky is an artist and filmmaker. In his work he explores transitional events in society, politics, culture and religion in the history of the Arab world. In 2010 he launched MASS Alexandria, an Independent Studio Programme for young artists and is represented by Galerie Sfeir-Semler, Hamburg/Beirut. Wael Shawky has built up a body of work focusing on the launch of the Crusades, and A Glimpse of Clean History is a powerful new development in this.

Wael Shawky - ACAP 2012 winner / Courtesy of Abraaj Capital Art Prize

Wael Shawky / A Glimpse of Clean History, ACAP 2012 / Courtesy of Abraaj Capital Art Prize

Risham Syed’s practice focuses on the remains of cultural/historical inheritance and its perceived authenticity in present-day Pakistan. She is an Assistant Professor at the School of Visual Art, Beaconhouse National University, Lahore, Pakistan, where she continues to live and work. Risham Syed is represented by Talwar Gallery, New York. In her practice, Risham Syed focuses on the traces of cultural inheritance in her native Pakistan; with The Seven Seas she has branched out to the broader MENASA region, charting Victorian trade routes – still relevant today - on quilts.

Risham Syed - ACAP 2012 winner / Courtesy of Abraaj Capital Art Prize

Risham Syed, The Seven Seas, 2012, 7 quilts, ACAP 2012 / Courtesy of Abraaj Capital Art Prize

Risham Syed, The Seven Seas, Bangladesh quilt, ACAP 2012 / Courtesy of Abraaj Capital Art Prize

Risham Syed, The Seven Seas, Turkey quilt, ACAP 2012 / Courtesy of Abraaj Capital Art Prize

Risham Syed, The Seven Seas, 1 of 7 quilts, 98x123 cm, ACAP 2012 / Courtesy of Abraaj Capital Art Prize

An artist and musician, Raed Yassin's work often originates from an examination of his personal narratives and their position within a collective history, through the lens of consumer culture and mass production. He is represented by Kalfayan Galleries, Athens/Thessaloniki and currently lives and works in Beirut. Raed Yassin has created a series of vases entitled China, a response to the Lebanese civil war and its aftermath.

Raed Yassin - ACAP 2012 winner / Courtesy of Abraaj Capital Art Prize

Raed Yassin, China, 2012, 7 Porcelain Vases, ACAP 2012 / Courtesy of Abraaj Capital Art Prize

Raed Yassin, China, 2012, ACAP 2012 / Courtesy of Abraaj Capital Art Prize

Nat Muller is an independent curator and critic based in Rotterdam. Her interests include the intersections of aesthetics, media and politics, media art and contemporary art in the Middle East. She has taught in academies and universities across Europe and the Middle East.

Nat-Muller, ACAP 2012, Guest Curator of 'Spectral Imprints' / Courtesy of Abraaj Capital Art Prize

Visitors viewing 'Spectral Imprints', ACAP 2012 / Courtesy of Abraaj Capital Art Prize

Visitors viewing 'Spectral Imprints', ACAP 2012 / Courtesy of Abraaj Capital Art Prize