DUBAI.- The Abraaj Group (“Abraaj” or the “Group”), a leading investor operating in global growth markets, today announced the appointment of new members to the jury of the prestigious Abraaj Group Art Prize (“AGAP” or the “Prize”). Under the direction of the new Abraaj Group Art Prize Chairperson, Dana Farouki, the jury for the eighth and ninth editions of the prize includes leading international curators Hans Ulrich Obrist, Defne Ayas and Sandhini Poddar, among others.

Founded in 2008, the Abraaj Group Art Prize recognises particularly notable artists from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia. The prize is unique in its format, awarding mid-career artists a major commission based on a proposal, rather than a completed work. Over the years, the Prize has been instrumental in building recognition for some of the region's most dynamic artists, including Yto Barrada (AGAP 2015), Basim Magdy (AGAP 2014), Abbas Akhavan (AGAP 2014), Rayyane Tabet (AGAP 2013), Wael Shawky (AGAP 2012), among many others. Each year, a Guest Curator is invited to curate an exhibition at Art Dubai that includes the commission by the winning artist and works by three shortlisted artists. The Open Call is currently out for artists to apply for the 2016 prize (Deadline: August 31, 2015).

The Abraaj Group Art Prize jury 2016-17 is comprised of a world class panel of experts, including: Defne Ayas, Director and Curator of Witte de With, Center for Contemporary Art; Antonia Carver, Director, Art Dubai; Omar Kholeif, Curator, Whitechapel Gallery (who, as the Guest Curator of the 2015 prize, will sit on the jury for one year); Fayeeza Naqvi, Founding Trustee, Aman Foundation; Hans Ulrich Obrist, Co-director of exhibitions and programmes and director of international projects at Serpentine Galleries; Sandhini Poddar, Art historian and Adjunct Curator at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum; and Frederic Sicre, Managing Director, The Abraaj Group. Curator-patron Dana Farouki is the Chair of the jury.

Dana Farouki said: “The 2016 jury of the Abraaj Group Art Prize consists of an exceptional group of celebrated practitioners and curators from around the globe. With their extensive experience and diverse perspectives, they will ensure a very promising commission for the prize.”

The jury’s role is to review and critique the artists’ applications and to select a guest curator who will work closely with the artists to develop the group exhibition at Art Dubai (March 16-19, 2016) and to produce an accompanying publication. Works from the winning artist – who is awarded a $100,000 commission - and the three shortlisted artists will be included in a curated exhibition at Art Dubai 2016. The commissioned works go on to become part of the Abraaj Group Art Prize Collection and are regularly loaned to major museum and touring exhibitions such as Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Smithsonian Museum of Asian Art, Washington D.C., and major international biennials, such as Sharjah Biennial, Kochi Muziris Biennale and the Biennale of Sydney.