The announcement took place during a meeting held by the General Secretariat in collaboration with the award's judging committee at the Sharjah Department of Culture to review the committee's report.
Egyptian critic Shadi Abu Reeda claimed the top spot for his research titled "Translation of Art and the Art of Translation between Enjoyment and Abstinence." Algerian critic Zitouni Abdel Razzaq secured second place with his research on "Translation in Modern Visual Arts Critique: A Terminological Problem or a Translation Crisis," while the third place went to Moroccan critic Ahmed Latif Allah for his research on "Arab Artistic Critique and Translation: A Theoretical and Practical Study."
Mohammed Ibrahim Al Qasir, Director of Cultural Affairs in the Department of Culture (DoC) and the Secretary-General of the Award, noted, "The Sharjah Award for Visual Arts Critique has played a significant role in advancing criticique in Arab visual arts for over 14 years, thanks to the continuous support of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah. It stands as the pioneering specialised cultural initiative in Arab visual arts."
He also highlighted that this edition, with its winners, has expanded the Arab critical library by recognising more than 46 critics with extensive participation. Furthermore, this edition received submissions from various countries, including the UAE, Egypt, Iraq, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and more, underscoring the award's uniqueness at the Arab level in its artistic and creative approach.
Additionally, Mr. Al-Qasir announced that the winners of the Sharjah Award for Visual Arts Criticique will be honoured in mid-December during the Islamic Arts Festival.
The Sharjah Award for Critique in Visual Arts stands as a distinctive initiative in the realm of critical discourse within the Arab world. It is the sole award that addresses critique in the visual arts field, shedding light on the contributions of Arab writers, critics, and academics in this field.