Artwork from Sharjah students will be unveiled in Abu Dhabi after winning a competition backed by other acclaimed artists.
In partnership with the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation, the 2015 Christo and Jeanne-Claude award has been won by American University of Sharjah students Nada Al Mulla and Salwa Al Khudairi.
The young friends, both 20-year-olds studying architecture, are building a steel structure, draped in fabric and wanted to emulate the concept behind the abaya, a traditional cloak worn for modesty.
The exterior part of the structure is smooth, with geometric folds allowing steel for the project to curve. The resulting lines resemble the seams in the abaya.
The artwork will go on display in Abu Dhabi on March 15, before it is taken on tour around the UAE. The pair will receive funds to build their idea, and then promote it in exhibitions, as well as prizemoney to fund future projects.
AUS assistant professor of architecture, Emily Baker, said: “They enthusiastically engage the work on multiple levels, from concept to sourcing materials to fabrication.
“It is really empowering for students to go through the process of making their ideas become full-scale reality.”
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