Categories: Chicago

Artist Sophia Al-Maria wins $100,000 prize from MCA

Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago (MCA) announced a winner of the first Dunya Contemporary Art Prize. It is a Qatari-American artist Sophia Al-Maria.

Sophia Al-Maria is a 35-year-old artist, writer, and filmmaker. She got the grand prize, $100,000 in career development. MCA is going to commission her painting that will be exhibited.

The Dunya Contemporary Art exhibition in MCA brought together mid-career Middle Eastern artists who work in challenging conditions and show specific peculiarities of their native cultures.

According to the jury of the exhibition, Sophia Al-Maria created a new visual language, innovative way to tell about the Gulf region’s Bedouin community where her family comes from. Now she lives and works in London, her art is devoted to the problems of social disparities and protection of the environment in such highly developed cities as Dubai (UAE) and Doha (Qatar).

Organizers of the Dunya Contemporary Art Prize stated that the exhibition is going to be held every two years and financed by Shulamit Nazarian Foundation.

Shawn Genzone

Senior writer at the Chicago Morning Star

Recent Posts

Johnson Rome trip draws scrutiny amid CTA crime

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s trip to Rome to visit the Pope is drawing renewed attention to ongoing public safety concerns…

2 days ago

Brewers eye NL Central lead against Cubs

The Milwaukee Brewers will have an opportunity to climb into first place in the National League Central when they continue…

3 days ago

CPS enrollment falls as CTU membership grows

Chicago Public Schools has lost nearly one-fifth of its student population over the past decade, even as the Chicago Teachers…

3 days ago

Indian student killed in crash near Chicago

An Indian student was killed, and several others were injured, following a late-night two-vehicle crash near Chicago, according to Indiana…

4 days ago

Trump says China to order 200 Boeing jets

Boeing could secure its largest Chinese aircraft deal in years after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that China plans to…

6 days ago

Chicago Fire move Crew match to SeatGeek Stadium

Chicago Fire FC announced Thursday that its Nov. 7 home match against the Columbus Crew will be relocated from Soldier…

6 days ago

This website uses cookies.