ArtNow's Springboard Series added another milestone to its exceptional record with a talk by Laura Egerton, curator Abraaj Capital Art Prize (ACAP). In a fluidly co-ordinated event between Vasl, Fomma Trust and ArtNow, Egerton summarised details about the prize, its selection criteria and application process, encouraging young and mid-career artists to apply.
Egerton informed the audience that ACAP, instituted in 2009, awarded each year to five artists and a curator from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA) region. It has come to be recognised as the most important prize in the region and it is unique in its format as it is awarded to artists on the basis of their project proposal. The artists are consequently provided resources and time to realise their projects and the final works are unveiled on the opening night of Art Dubai.
Egerton pointed out that in the five editions of ACAP, including 2013 for which the artists and curator have been selected and are now preparing to ready their projects in time for Art Dubai 2013 (March 20-13, 2013), three have included the works of Pakistani artists; Hamra Abbas in 2011, Risham Syed in 2012 and now Huma Mulji for 2013. It was an encouraging sign for Pakistani art, indicated Laura Egerton.
Egerton showed the audience photos of previous projects which exhibited a rich diversity of styles and ideas. She spoke about the importance of the relationship between the curator and the artists, and how curators could help artists plan, execute and install their works, all the time encouraging them to push the envelope. ArtNow is Pakistan's only online, monthly, bi-lingual publication offering critical insight into the contemporary art of Pakistan.-PR