The Crossway Foundation Announces the Journey to Japan 2015 Winners

Art Jameel and the Crossway Foundation are pleased to announce the eight competition winners from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and the United Kingdom who will be travelling to Japan in November 2015 to experience one of the most inspiring cultures in the world on the creative adventure of a lifetime.

A total of 36 promising young artists from the Gulf and the UK were shortlisted from hundreds of entries and interviewed by panels of industry experts. Judging interviews took place in five cities: Jeddah, Riyadh, Dubai, Kuwait City and London. The eight winners have been selected for their creative and imaginative responses to this year’s Journey to Japan theme: “Encounters with Another World.”

 “Our eight winners show exceptional talent and promise, and we are very excited to be able to offer them the opportunity to expand their horizons and to challenge their creativity,” said Fady Jameel, President of Community Jameel International.

In Japan the winning team will explore the country’s diverse landscape and stimulating creative scene by collaborating with local arts and social organisations in Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Naoshima, to develop the key skills of leadership, communication and creativity. The itinerary includes training in the art of butoh (a form of Japanese dance theatre), a bonsai workshop, a studio visit with cutting-edge artist collective Chim↑Pom, a workshop with Masao Okabe, who represented Japan at the 52nd Venice Biennale, and a visit to Naoshima, an island known for its world-class contemporary art.

“Our aim in organising these journeys is to identify and invest in the next generation of artists and creative entrepreneurs, to give them the opportunity to develop personally and professionally through first-hand experience of other cultures and art practices, and to provide them a platform to express themselves in an innovative and creative way,” says Imogen Ware, Managing Director of the Crossway Foundation.

The winners are: Sarah Abuabdallah and Mohammed Alfaraj from Saudi Arabia; Nad Al Taher and Nour Fayhan from Kuwait; Mohamed Rowaizak and Mohammed Al Kindi from the UAE; Hugh Guthrie and Gaby Sahhar from the UK.