National Bank of Fujairah (NBF) announce the winners of its second annual Art Competition, which saw entries from hundreds of emerging and established artists from across the UAE, during an event held at the Capital Club, DIFC exhibiting the top 13 artworks.
NBF announces winners
Shabir Ahmed Mir, an artist and sculptor from Pakistan, secured the first position with his sculpture made from scrap aluminum, while Yousra Wahba, an Egyptian visual artist took second place and Maitha Salman Bushelaibi, an Emirati artist scooped third place.
In light of the overwhelming response, a further ten winners were chosen to also have their artwork displayed at the exhibition.
The top three winners will each receive a cash prize and a mentoring session from a renowned art expert, and all 13 top artworks will have the opportunity to be displayed at a prominent art venue.
The theme of this year’s competition – “It All Starts With Me!” – was aimed to highlight and encourage individual actions to help protect the planet, through the medium of art, as well as support NBF’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) agenda.
The selection of the NBF’s winners was preceded by a judging session hosted by a prominent committee including: Patricia Millns FRSA, Artist and Advisor Creative Industries; Khalil Abdulwahid, Director – Fine Arts, Dubai Culture and Arts Authority; Mara Firetti, CEO, Founder and Curator, Firetti Contemporary Gallery; Ahmad Al Rashid, Founder and Director, TALK Curated Creative Events; and Slava Noor, Founder and Editor of Arte&Lusso magazine.
Vince Cook, CEO of NBF, said: “We are incredibly proud to continue our commitment to supporting the UAE’s flourishing art scene, while also using art to highlight the importance of operating in a more sustainable way and reducing our environmental impact.
“In line with our Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) agenda, we are always looking for ways to support our local communities and this year’s competition enabled us to showcase the exceptional talent we have here in the UAE. We were so impressed by the level of creativity across this year’s entries and are already looking forward to next year’s competition.”
Now in its second year, the competition witnessed more than double the volume of entries received last year. NBF is excited to be able to support the burgeoning UAE creative sector providing artists with a platform to showcase their creativity, flourish and be recognised.