ABU DHABI // A granddaughter of the late president, Sheikh Zayed, has won the inaugural Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award.
Sheikha Maryam bint Sultan bin Zayed, a fourth-year art, design and visual art student at Zayed University, impressed with a mirage-inspired installation.
Her father is Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed, the Representative of the President.
The win was announced yesterday by the NYU Abu Dhabi Institute and the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (Admaf).
Sheikha Maryam beat 26 other entries from UAE-based students to the US$5,000 (Dh18,000) prize. She will now develop her work into a full exhibition, which will be displayed in Abu Dhabi next March before touring the country.
Hoda Al Khamis Kanoo, the founder of Admaf, said the award was in line with the foundation's goal of cultivating promising home-grown talent.
"Fostering the arts, education, culture and creativity is the mission Admaf has upheld for 17 years," she said last month. "Admaf supports career development, giving Emirati artists an international voice."
The award was launched to celebrated the country's burgeoning arts community.
Images of installations by famed artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude were displayed at last month's Abu Dhabi Art Festival.
