In attendance: Emirati winner (Dr. Hamad Al Falasi), International winner (Pablo de Laborde Lascaris), H.H. Sheikh Saeed Bin Hasher AlMaktoum and H.E the Ambassador of Mexico Francisco Alonso.

Dubai, 18 March, 2013 // The International Emerging Artist Award (IEAA), under the patronage of H.H. Sheikha Wafa Hasher AlMaktoum, and supported by the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (DCAA) proudly announced the winners of the 2013 Emerging Emirati and Emerging International artist award categories yesterday at the winner’s exhibition at FN Designs.

The International Emerging Artist Award (IEAA) is the United Arab Emirates’ first contemporary art competition open for artists both from the UAE and internationally. Based in Dubai, the International Emerging Artist Award’s vision is to provide world-class recognition for emerging artists and as a means to showcase their work by offering an international exhibition road show in renowned art galleries around the world.

This year, the IEAA launched the Emerging Emirati Artist Award: a special focus on Emirati talents in junction with the international competition. The initiative is the first of its kind that offers contemporary Emirati artists the chance to showcase their work outside of the UAE. The 2013 award was presented by H.H. Sheikh Saeed Bin Hasher AlMaktoum to 33 year old Dr. Hamad Al Falasi. Shamma Buhazza (age 19, UAE) came in second place with her series questioning cultural and social behavior and Hamdan Buti Al Shamisi (age 31, UAE) came in third with his self-portraits titled short bio a visual documentation of the major stages of his life. Al Falasi’s work, inspired by colloquial Emirati Arabic, is an examination of language. His series of digital photographs aims to document pure colloquial words used within UAE society and emphasizes the beauty of dialect through pieces shot in various locations in the UAE, chosen carefully to reflect on where particular Emirati words originated and where they might fade away.

27 year old Pablo de Laborde Lascaris, a Mexican national living and working the United Kingdom, was the proud recipient of the 2013 Emerging International Artist Award: a category open to artists across the globe. The winning piece revolves around a succession of playful studies, which build upon the associations between carefully chosen objects and the method in which the artist chose to animate them. Lascaris examines primordial, artifacts, games and toys, and alters their mechanization and form to change their functionality and question their practicality or purpose. In attendance to present the award was His Excellency Francisco Alonso, Ambassador of Mexico. In second and third place for the International category were Thiemo Kloss  (age 27, Germany) with his digital photography series white rooms and Lucas Davidson (age 40, Australia) with his video installation that suspends photographic emulsion in water.

Both Al Falasi and Lascaris will see their work displayed in Singapore (Vue Privée, May 2013), Istanbul (The Empire Project, July 2013) and Marseille (Galerie Gourvennec Ogor, Dec 2013) European capital of culture as part of the exhibition’s tour – and both artists have been offered full time representation from galleries after the tour’s completion: Falasi at FN Designs, UAE and Lascaris at Galerie Gourvennec Ogor, France.

A number of pieces by the Golden 10 were sold at the opening of the exhibition, attracting the interest of art collectors. Rebia Naim, Director of IEAA commented, "We are so proud of this year’s winners and thankful for the support we’ve gained from H.H. Sheikha Wafa Hasher AlMaktoum, and the DCAA. It has been a truly rewarding journey, not only for the winning artists, but for all of the talented shortlisted entrants. In fact, many of them have been approached to showcase their work in the global galleries we’re working with and I’m confident in saying that these will be the established artists of tomorrow. Keep watching!"

Next year, IEAA will be launching the International Emerging Designer award, under the International Emerging Emirati artist category. The call for entries will be activated in September 2013 for 2014 edition of IEAA.

IEAA will also soon be launching an online gallery of the best artwork from the 2012 awards.

Please note that this Winner’s Opening was part of Alserkal Art Night. The winner’s exhibition, including the top 3 Emirati winners and the Golden 10 shortlisted international artists is running at FN Designs until March 31, 2013.

 by Maey El Shoush For Abu Dhabi based newspaper, The National.

Leading global art galleries and institutions are increasingly targeting artwork from the UAE, seen as "exotic" inclusions to their collections, according to the director of the International Emerging Artist Award (IEAA), Rebia Naim. Now in its second year, the award has more than tripled in registration size, bringing this year's total, from artists around the world, to approximately 1,500. Eight Emirati artists are shortlisted, along with 74 others from 30 countries, in the international category.

The award, under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Wafa Hasher Al Maktoum and supported by the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, provides tangible career development opportunities.

The prize winners, who will be revealed on March 18 at FN Designs during the Alserkal Avenue Art Night event, will exhibit their contemporary work at prestigious galleries Vue Privée, Singapore in May, The Empire Project, Istanbul in July and Galerie Gourvennec Ogor, Marseille in December.

"Submissions were phenomenal, so we doubled the shortlist. We're already strategising how we can make next year bigger," says Naim, whose work includes art consultancy projects at Saadiyat Island and The Louvre Abu Dhabi. "The award gives further credibility to emerging artists. We had to fight for it to be where it is today."

The award now includes mixed media, video and digital art, 3D sculpture and photography. Art is not just about the aesthetic but the concept - how it inspires and contributes to positive social and economic change, says Naim.

"This year, we're introducing a high profile online gallery of some of the best submissions because we believe the work deserves to be shown," she says. "This is also the first award providing Emirati artists the opportunity to officially promote projects abroad. For international galleries, to have Emirati work is seen as something exotic."

The IEAA is also in talks with a reputed London-based organisation to introduce the first emerging art fair in Dubai, to further promote applicants. Art has more meaning when shared and artists themselves are "ambassadors" of their culture, says shortlisted Emirati artist Nassra Al Buainain, who submitted an art installation.

"Each culture evokes certain feelings in artists and these can be sensed in their artworks. It's that kind of influence I want to see with an international audience when my artwork is exposed to them," says the 29-year-old from Abu Dhabi.

For Areej Alhammadi, who submitted an interactive comic, the award is fundamental in showcasing the UAE as an international hub for emerging artists.

"I come from a family of artists, so I grew up with art in my household," says the 26 year-old from Sharjah. "The IEAA organisers are creating opportunities for talented artists in the UAE to participate in showcasing the great potential in the region."

Being part of this growing art community and providing a platform for others is important for 26 year-old Khawla Darwish from Dubai, specialising in medical art.

"I'm really thankful and appreciate such opportunities giving us as artists a great chance to compete beautifully against each other and actually grow by looking at each others works," she says.

Nicknamed 'qurtas' (sheets of papers), 31-year-old Hamdan Al Shamsi, from Al Ain, says: "Such initiatives help enhance the creative fields in the UAE, and displaying work around the world grants you the title of 'international artist'."

Fatima Alghafli, a 26-year-old from Umm Al Quwain who submitted her photography to the competition, believes, "If there's no great, active, motivating and inspiring events for artists, there'll be no art movement in the country."

Also submitting photography is Hamad Al Falasi, from Dubai, who says the IEAA has became an instant attraction for UAE-based artists.

"Our culture has many details barely explored in the art scene. I hope with my dedication, I will raise cultural values through artistic mediums internationally," says the 33-year-old. "I always like to go by a personal quote; 'Don't just get yourself out, stand out'."

Working with recycled material, Zeinab Alhashemi says the award has created "energy". "I use contemporary techniques but often take my subject matter from the cultural traditions native UAE. That's why an initiative like this is important and I hope it will be on a bigger platform next time so more artist can participate," says the 26-year-old from Dubai.

Shamma Buhazza, a 19-year-old artist from Abu Dhabi who explores "undiscussed" social issues, believes the Emirati artistic expression has not been exposed internationally, but through initiatives such as IEAA, things will change.

For more information, visit www.emergingartistaward.com

International Emerging Artist Award (IEAA) has released the names of the shortlisted candidates for the final judging round. 

8 Emirati candidates are in the race for the Emerging Emirati Artist Award and 74 candidates from 31 countries for the international category. 

The number of shortlisted candidates was initially set at 40 but due to the high number of outstanding applications IEAA has decided to double this figure. Award Director, Rebia Naim said "This year has been exceptional; not only from a participation point of view but from the quality of work we have received. It was only fair to increase this number and promote more work."

Jury scoring is currently taking place and final deliberation is planned for 30th January. Submitted projects will be scored based on concept, technical ability, coherence between the concept and the artwork and general impression. All media were accepted this year. 

The prize-presentation and unveiling of the winners' work will take place 18th of March at Fn Designs during the Al Serkal Avenue Art night. The exhibition will be open to the public the same evening. 

Following the opening in Dubai, both Emirati and International winners will see their work displayed in Singapore (Vue Privée, May 2013), Istanbul (The Empire Project, July 2013) and Marseille (Galerie Gourvennec Ogor, Dec 2013) European capital of culture. 

Run under the patronage of H.H. Sheikha Wafa Hasher Al Maktoum and supported by Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, IEAA mission is to provide world class recognition for emerging artists and as a means to showcase their work on the international art scene through renowned art galleries. International Emerging Artist Award strives to contribute to the UAE’s vision to position the UAE as a global hub for art and to encourage the career development of emerging artists. 

Winner of IEAA first edition, Julie de Waroquier, best words of encouragement!

Personal words to all the artists from Patricia Millns, IEAA jury member!

Fresh from the French Riviera, special encouragement from IEAA Jury member Carole Rinaldi!