Abu dhabi: New York University Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation, has announced the winner of the 2026 Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award. The two winners of the fourteenth edition of the award are Noura Jaber, a NYU Abu Dhabi alumna, and Mufida Mohieddin, a University of Sharjah alumna. Their interdisciplinary work explores archaeology, material culture, and the relationship between communities and their environment.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, "Artifacts of Everyday Life," an installation inspired by the prehistoric site of Tell Abraq, located between Umm Al Quwain and Sharjah, examines the impact of archaeological interpretation on cultural memory and our understanding of the past. The work explores how local knowledge and contemporary ways of life can contribute to the interpretation of artifacts and historical sites. Centered around a partially buried fishing hook, a tool widely used at the site thousands of years ago, the artwork connects ancient and contemporary relationships with the sea.

While archaeological narratives often focus on rare discoveries, the work 'Artifacts of Everyday Life' instead highlights the everyday tools that reveal the lives, work, and interactions of communities with their environments. Through this approach, the project invites the public to reflect on how historical objects are imbued with meaning and on the elements that shape our understanding of cultural heritage.

The two artists developed the project under the supervision of Ozma Rizvi, Professor of Anthropology and Urban Studies in the Department of Social Sciences and Cultural Studies at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. Huda Ibrahim Al-Khamis, founder of the group, emphasized that the award-winning work embodies a unique artistic experience, using historical fishing rods as a focal point to connect ancient and contemporary ways of life in the UAE. It explores the relationship between people and their environment, and everyday tools as tangible testaments to the lives of our ancestors and our timeless narrative across the ages, inviting artists and the public to revive and interpret our heritage with a contemporary vision.

The award's judging panel included Huda Ibrahim Al-Khamis; Maya Allison, Executive Director of the Art Gallery and Chief Curator at NYU Abu Dhabi; Diala Nusseibeh, Director of Abu Dhabi Art; Azza Al-Qubaisi, Emirati designer and sculptor; Awam Amkpa, Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities at NYU Abu Dhabi; and Majd Alloush, artist, teacher, and member of the 2023 winning team.