Abu Dhabi: Under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Shamsa bint Hamdan Al Nahyan, NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), in partnership with Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF), has announced the winning project for The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award 2024.

The winners of the twelfth edition of The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award are Sara Farha and Khaled Shalkha under the mentorship of Assistant Professor at the College of Architecture, Art and Design (CAAD) at the American University of Sharjah (AUS), Dr. Christianna Bonin. Sara Farha is an architectural engineer and urban planner, passionate about material science and designing solutions that address needs, sensibilities, and the environment. Khaled Shalkha is a chemical engineer skilled in solving problems at the intersection of culture, economy, and policy. Together, they founded ‘Datecrete Studio’, a material innovation and design studio that merges material science with design. Their studio focuses on developing a patent-pending cementitious material made from date pits containing no concrete or resin.

The winning project, titled Datecrete Bee Hotel, seamlessly integrates innovative material science with ecological awareness. Its uniqueness lies in the use of a new building material called 'Datecrete’, made from date pits and free of concrete or resin, which the artists are currently patenting. The structure will remain in situ for three months to attract solitary bees, with the process documented on film. The final artwork may combine the sculpture and the film to showcase the interaction between the bees and their habitat.

Her Excellency Huda Al Khamis-Kanoo, Founder of Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF), said: "Under the patronage of HH Sheikha Shamsa bint Hamdan Al Nahyan, and in collaboration with the NYUAD Art Gallery, the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award is now in its twelfth year. The award continues to serve as a beacon for the creative industries, fostering innovation in visual arts, sculpture, and art installations. By championing exceptional works in concept, design, and execution, the award aligns perfectly with our commitment to cultivating emerging talent and inspiring the next generation of Emirati creative practitioners."

She continued: "I congratulate Sarah Farha and Khaled Shalkha, the winners of the twelfth edition of the award, for their outstanding project, 'Datecrete Bee Hotel'. Utilizing date pits, the winners have created an innovative and sustainable building material – the first eco-friendly cement of its kind. By promoting environmental awareness and preserving natural resources and the local environment, the work epitomizes the award's 2023–2024 vision, which is dedicated to the 'Year of Sustainability'."

Executive Director of The NYUAD Art Gallery and the University’s Chief Curator Maya Allison added: “Every year, I am inspired by the talent and original thinking of emerging creatives in the UAE, and this year was no different. Datecrete Bee Hotel is an important work that connects material innovation with the natural world. This art and architecture piece embodies the vision of The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award, which was established to support the evolution of public art rooted in the UAE.”

The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award Director Emily Doherty commented: “This year marks the twelfth edition of The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award, which makes it one of the longest-running art awards in the country and one of the few that prioritizes supporting emerging artists in the region. Our winners this year, Sara and Khaled, now embark on an eight-month production period supported by the NYUAD Art Gallery team and their mentor, Dr. Christianna

Bonin. Their project embodies the evolution of the award towards the production of increasingly considered and mature work by participants dedicated to careers as professional artists. Our sincere congratulations to them.”

This year’s selection committee convened in Abu Dhabi to select a winner. On the panel were H.E. Huda Alkhamis-Kanoo; Maya Allison, Executive Director of The NYUAD Art Gallery and Chief Curator; Dyala Nusseibeh, Director of Abu Dhabi Art; Azza Al Qubaisi, Emirati Jewelry Artist, Product Designer and Sculptor; Awam Amkpa, Dean of Arts and Humanities and Professor of Drama, Social and Cultural Analysis at NYUAD; and guest juror Laila Binbrek, Director of the National Pavilion UAE.

Running annually since 2013 under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Shamsa bint Hamdan Al Nahyan, presented by NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), in partnership with Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, and produced in collaboration with the NYUAD Art Gallery, The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award serves as a launch pad for artists across the Emirates. It encourages new artwork and offers winners insight into professional life as an artist, from commission to exhibition. The program is open to UAE-based students and recent graduates.

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About the NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery 

www.nyuad-artgallery.org 

Established in 2014, the NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Art Gallery is among the only university galleries in the region with a program of scholarly and experimental museum exhibitions. Supporting the progress made by other arts institutions within the UAE, the NYUAD Art Gallery and the projects it supports serve the local arts community as a testing ground for new and innovative curatorial approaches that nourish the dialogue around exhibition practice in the Gulf. The program is recognized for mapping new territories and ideas, presenting exhibitions by internationally established artists, curators, and scholars. A regular book publication program is a core part of its curatorial frame within its academic mission. In addition, its auxiliary venue, the Project Space is an exhibition laboratory for UAE-based artists and curators. Situated within NYU Abu Dhabi, the community of which hails from over 125 countries, the Art Gallery, the Project Space, and the Art Gallery's Reading Room collectively open up artistic and initiate regional and global dialogue. 

About NYU Abu Dhabi 
https://nyuad.nyu.edu/en/

NYU Abu Dhabi is the first comprehensive liberal arts and research campus in the Middle East to be operated abroad by a major American research university. Times Higher Education ranks NYU among the top 30 universities in the world, making NYU Abu Dhabi the highest-ranked university in the UAE and MENA region. NYU Abu Dhabi has integrated a highly selective undergraduate curriculum across the disciplines with a world center for advanced research and scholarship. The university enables its students in the sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities, and arts to succeed in an increasingly interdependent world and advance cooperation and progress on humanity’s shared challenges. NYU Abu Dhabi’s high-achieving students have come from over 120 countries and speak over 100 languages. Together, NYU's campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai form the backbone of a unique global university, giving faculty and students opportunities to experience varied learning environments and immersion in other cultures at one or more of the numerous study-abroad sites NYU maintains on six continents.

About Christo and Jeanne-Claude

For half a century, internationally acclaimed artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude created highly celebrated works of art around the world. Together, they changed the concept of “public art” by creating temporary works that were truly transitory by design. Jeanne-Claude passed away in November 2009, and Christo sadly died on May 31, 2020.

Christo and Jeanne-Claude never accepted any subsidies, royalties, grants, or sponsorships. They funded all of their temporary public works, and the artists’ income was derived from the sale of original works of art by Christo to museums, galleries, and private collectors. For more information, visit www.christojeanneclaude.net

Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation

Founded in 1996, ADMAF is one of the oldest, not-for-profit cultural organisations in the Arabian Gulf. Pioneering new artistic practices, it seeks to deepen global cross-cultural dialogue and inspire a renewed interest in the creativity of the UAE and Arab world. Often in partnership with leading national and international institutions, it delivers multidisciplinary initiatives for people of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities through the Abu Dhabi Festival, year-round youth platforms and community programmes.

For more information, please visit www.admaf.org