Alia Farid and Aseel AlYaqoub are the Winners of Art Jameel Artists Commission

Art Jameel, to open in Fall 2018, is launching its first art commission with the project by Kuwait-based artists Alia Farid and Aseel AlYaqoub. The artists’ major, immersive installation “Contrary Life: A Botanical Light Garden Devoted to Trees” debuts at the opening of the Jameel Arts Centre in Dubai this coming winter. The artists are being granted a commission to realize their work, which will be exhibited in Winter 2018. They will reflect on our relationship with the natural world; their site-specific installation acts as a community botanical garden, albeit one made up of artificial, hybrid trees and flora.

The shortlist included four artists — Mohammed Kazem, Anahita Razmi and Mounira Al Solh as well as Farid and AlYaqoub; all four artists developed further their concepts and a final jury deliberation settled on the Kuwaiti artists as the winners.

The 2017-2018 Jury included writer and curator Shumon Basar; independent curator and art historian Reem Fadda; James Lingwood, Co-director, Artangel; Elvira Dyangani Ose, Senior Curator of Creative Time and Lecturer in Visual Cultures at Goldsmiths, University of London; and Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, President, Sharjah Art Foundation; plus representatives from Art Jameel.