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Victoria and Albert Museum reveals winner of Jameel Prize

Indian artist Khandakar Ohida has been named the winner of the seventh edition of the Jameel Prize, awarded every three years to an artist inspired by Islamic tradition.

The £25,000 Jameel Prize, presented every three years by the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London and the UAE and Saudi Arabia-based cultural organisation Art Jameel, was this year themed around moving images and digital media.

Ohida (b. 1993, India) won the prize for her film "Dream Your Museum", a poignant portrait of her uncle, Khandakar Selim, whose life story is revealed through his seemingly ordinary yet profoundly meaningful collection of objects and memorabilia. The work challenges the rigid structure of museums in India, which often leave little space for alternative narratives, rejecting the colonial model of the museum and inviting viewers to find meaning in the seemingly mundane objects of everyday life.

A curated selection of Selim’s objects – such as photos, binoculars, photographs, ceramics, and perfume bottles – are showcased alongside the film.

“The jury praised the quiet power of Khandakar’s beautiful cinematic work, ‘Dream Your Museum’. The film and installation of objects from her uncle’s vast esoteric collection speak to the experience of Muslim communities in India, and challenge the authority of conventional museums,” Tristram Hunt, V&A Director and chair of the Jameel Prize judging panel, said.

“The significance of this prize lies in its ability to highlight the innovative spirit at the heart of practices that draw on the legacy of Islamic art and design,” Antonia Carver, Art Jameel Director, commented, “This year, by focussing on moving image and digital media, the prize sheds light on artists who are redefining visual storytelling in form and content, and are engaging with urgent issues – from ecology and spirituality to the resilience of community histories.”

Ranging from photography to sculpture and installation to VR, the shortlisted artists are Sadik Kwaish Alfraji, Jawa El Khash, Alia Farid, Zahra Malkani, Khandakar Ohida, Marrim Akashi Sani, and Rami Haerizadeh, Rokni Haerizadeh and Hesam Rahmanian (as a collective).

An exhibition of works by the winner and shortlisted artists will go on display at the V&A South Kensington from 30 November 2024 to 16 March 2025.