The RAK Art Foundation Prize was awarded to Nomin Zezegmaa and Meher Afroz, whose art reflects cultural memory,…
The RAK Art Foundation Prize was awarded to Nomin Zezegmaa and Meher Afroz, whose art reflects cultural memory, material knowledge, and the links across artistic communities. Nomin Zezegmaa (b. 1992, Ulaanbaatar) — presented by NIKA Project Space — works across The Netherlands, Mongolia, and Germany. Her multidisciplinary practice draws on Mongol cosmogony, exploring history, materiality, and spirituality through ritual and gesture, connecting body, spirit, land, and renewal. During her Bahrain residency, she will engage with local artisans, weaving her Mongolian heritage into Bahraini craft traditions, celebrating kinship across differences. Meher Afroz (b. Lucknow, India; based in Karachi, Pakistan) — presented by O Art Space — is a master painter and printmaker with over fifty years exploring identity, time, and belonging. Her work emphasizes reflection, resilience, and repair, fostering contemplation and connection. In Bahrain, she aims to create shared spiritual and cultural experiences, inspiring new generations through her exploration of memory and creation. Zezegmaa and Afroz embody the prize’s spirit—honoring tradition as a living dialogue between heritage and imagination.
