Alaa Mansour (1989, Lebanon) is the recipient of the Han Nefkens Foundation—Fundació Antoni Tàpies Video Art Production Grant 2023, in collaboration with NTU Centre for Contemporary Art, Singapore; WIELS Brussels; Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD) Manila; and Art Jameel, Dubai.
Alaa Mansour was selected by the directors and curators of each partner institution, in meetings moderated by Han Nefkens, Founder of the Han Nefkens Foundation.
The Selection Committee stated: “We have selected Alaa Mansour (1989, Lebanon) as the winner of the Han Nefkens Foundation—Fundació Antoni Tàpies Video Art Production Grant 2023 for her poignant body of work, presenting a profound investigation into the terrible realities of war and violence. We were struck by Alaa’s compelling use of a range of images from historical and media archives that call attention to different socio-political points of view, casting an unflinching, critical lens on contemporary political violence. We recognise that Alaa’s artistic contribution is a necessary reflection on our times, and concur with her observation of the role of an artist as a socio-political fighter”.
Alaa Mansour stated: “Against the world of terror and despair emerges a call for liberation, an appeal to carry the earth with and through our bodies and souls, to defy and resist colonial capitalism and the right to power, under which millions of people have been decimated. I take this award as a word of trust and support. It will become a mean to continue working towards the liberation of the spaces of our imagination, our lands, and ultimately our futures. It is a gentle and encouraging push in the collective pursuit toward blowing the lid off the militarisation of the world and its image”.
Alaa Mansour will receive 15,000 USD from the Han Nefkens Foundation to support the production of a new, limited-edition video artwork for which she will have 9 months to complete. The produced artwork will be presented from 2025 at each institution collaborating in this grant: the Fundació Antoni Tàpies in Barcelona, the NTU Centre for Contemporary Art in Singapore, the WIELS Contemporary Art Centre in Brussels, the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD) in Manila and Jameel Arts Centre in Dubai.
In order to consolidate the candidates’ career, the Han Nefkens Foundation—Fundació Antoni Tàpies Video Art Production Grant appraises emerging artists who are 50 years old or less and living in the territory of the West and Central Asia. The artists have established a solid trajectory but have not had the opportunity to exhibit extensively: this production grant should serve as an important source of support and boost in their career.
Alaa Mansour was selected by a judging panel chaired by Mr. Han Nefkens and composed of Ute Meta Bauer, Founding Director at NTU CCA Singapore; Joselina Cruz: Director at Museum of Contemporary Art and Design, Manila; Helena Kritis, Curator of WIELS, Brussels; Magdalena Magiera, Curator, Outreach & Education at NTU CCA Singapore; Imma Prieto, Director at Fundació Antoni Tàpies, Barcelona; Nora Razian: Deputy Director and Head of Exhibitions at Jameel Art, Dubai; Dirk Snauwaert: Director of WIELS, Brussels; in the presence of Hilde Teerlinck, Director of the Han Nefkens Foundation and Alessandra Biscaro, Coordinator of the Han Nefkens Foundation.
The shortlist for this year’s edition of the grant included: Mohammad Alfaraj (b. 1993, Saudi Arabia); Anna Dziapshipa (b. 1982, Georgia); Marianne Fahmy (b. 1992, Egypt); Areej Huniti & Eliza Goldox (b. 1989/1985, Jordan/Germany); Saodat Ismailova (b. 1981, Uzbekistan); Saleh Kashefi (b. 1999, Switzerland); Alaa Mansour (b. 1989, Lebanon); Gohar Martirosyan (b. 1991, Armenia), Anvar Musrepov (b. 1994, Kazakhstan)
The initial candidates were selected by a group of experts composed by: Joud Al Tamimi, Çelenk Bafra, Raneem Farsi, Ana Gabelaia, Nazli Ghessemi, Maha Maamoun, Dmitri Makhomet, Wejdan Reda, Mari Spirito, Mi You, and Öykü Özsoy Sağnak.
