Abu Dhabi – Asdaf News:
421, Abu Dhabi’s independent platform dedicated to supporting emerging creative practitioners, is pleased to announce the recipients of its capacity building programs for the year 2023-24. The programs, which include the Curatorial Development Program, the Artistic Research Grant, and Homebound Residency, will give 15 artists and collectives from across the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia special grants, financial resources, and professional support to work on the development of new research projects that explore critical issues related to human engagement with the environment.
The recipients include Lina Ramadan, Paribartana Mohanty, and Ritika Biswas for its Curatorial Development Program 2023, and Yasamin Ghalehnoie, Aarti Sunder, Pak Khawateen Painting Club, Lujaine Rizk and Asim Waqif, and Lantian Xie for the Artistic Research Grantees 2023-24, and artists Salem AlSuwaidi, Yara Al Asmar, Roger Mokbel, Walid Al Wawi, Chahine Fellahi, and Kais Aiouch (Kimia Collective), Pratyush Pushkar, and Riya Raagini (Bariya) for the Homebound Residency Program 2023
The 421 capacity building programs support artists and creative practitioners who have a sustained artistic practice or interest in creative disciplines. Often involving juries made up of locally and regionally based arts professionals, as well as pedagogical partners that contribute to the curricula, the capacity building programs function as a launching pad for the career development of young and emerging practitioners. Those programs are open to participation of students, recent graduates and early-career practitioners interested in visual arts, design and architecture, film, new media, literary arts and performance.
“We are pleased to support the work of the 15 artists and collectives from across the region who are exploring important curatorial research and artistic projects that focus on ecology, natural resources, rural communities, social evolution, and environmental change.” said Faisal Al Hassan, Head of 421. “The Curatorial Development Program, Artistic Research Grant and the Homebound Residency Program are three of four capacity building programs that we run throughout the year at 421. These programs are designed to further our mission of supporting emerging cultural and creative practitioners and to provide them with the platform and tools to explore critical issues that are relevant to our communities and our region at large.”
He added: “While we look forward to the outcomes of these projects, we are excited by the prospect of supporting this group of artists, curators, researchers, and practitioners through a process of experimentation and learning.”
