Rana Begum wins Abraaj prize

The Bangladeshi-British artist Rana Begum has won the ninth Abraaj Group Art Prize, the award’s organisers announced today. The three shortlisted artists were also named: Doa Aly from Egypt, Raha Raissnia from Iran and Sarah Abu Abdallah from Saudi Arabia, making it the first all-female shortlist for the prize. Begum, whose work is influenced by Op Art, Minimalism and Islamic geometric patterns, receives $100,000 to create a new project that will be unveiled at Art Dubai (15-18 March 2017). The exhibition will be organised by the guest curator Omar Berrada, the director of Dar al-Ma’mun, a library and residency space in Marrakesh, Morocco. The show will also include works by the three shortlisted artists, who receive $10,000 each.