The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) is set to unveil Jameel Prize: Moving Images, an exhibition spotlighting the intersection of contemporary art, design, and Islamic culture. Running from November 30th, 2024, to March 16th, 2025, this seventh edition of the Jameel Prize focuses on moving images and digital media, showcasing works by seven finalists selected from over 300 global submissions. The exhibition explores themes of identity, community, and history through film, photography, animation, sound, sculpture, and virtual reality.
This year’s winner, Indian artist Khandakar Ohida, was awarded the £25,000 prize for her innovative contribution to contemporary art inspired by Islamic tradition. The exhibition also features The Upper Side of the Sky by Syrian artist Jawa El Khash, an immersive virtual world inspired by the ruins of Palmyra, blending Syrian biodiversity with ancient architectural elements to celebrate resilience amid conflict. Kuwaiti-Puerto Rican artist Alia Farid presents Chibayish, a poignant film series documenting life in Iraq’s endangered wetlands, alongside Zamzamiya, a sculpture inspired by traditional water fountains that examines ecological challenges in the Gulf.
The exhibition underscores the enduring relevance of Islamic culture in contemporary art, bridging the past and present through innovative storytelling. After its run at the V&A, Jameel Prize: Moving Images will tour to Cartwright Hall in Bradford during the UK City of Culture 2025 and Hayy Jameel in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The exhibition provides visitors with a rare opportunity to explore innovative works by artists who reinterpret Islamic traditions in groundbreaking ways.
Chibayish (still), 2022
Commissioned by the WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN
Art on the occasion of the Whitney Biennial 2022: Quiet as It Is Kept. Courtesy of ALIA FARID
A Thread of Light Between My Mother’s Fingers and Heaven, 2023, video
Image courtesy of SADIK KWAISH ALFRAJI
Chibayish, 2022, video
Image courtesy of ALIA FARID
