Qatari-American artist, writer, and filmmaker Sophia Al-Maria (b. 1983) has brought her global perspective to the dramatic transformations occurring in the Arabian Gulf over the last several decades. Her work is produced from an emotional starting point, and she uses diverse forms of technology to explore the cultural, social, political, and environmental issues that affect the Gulf region. (She coined the term “Gulf Futurism” to describe the social shifts in cities such as Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Doha, Qatar, where unprecedented economic growth is paralleled with social inequality, labor exploitation, and environmental degradation.) Al-Maria also uses technologies to address the isolation of individuals and groups such as the Gulf region’s Bedouin community in which her family has roots and which in recent decades has experienced striking changes to its way of life.

The Dunya Contemporary Art Prize is a major biennial contemporary art award presented to a mid-career artist from the Middle East or its diaspora.

About Dunya Initiative

The Museum of Contemporary Art launched the Dunya Contemporary Art Prize in April 2018 as a contemporary art award presented to a mid-career artist from the Middle East or its diaspora. The name Dunya, meaning world or universe in many languages, reflected the desire to represent diverse perspectives and bring attention to new and daring voices from the Middle East. The artist Sophia Al-Maria was awarded the prize, but has since declined. The MCA team respects the artist’s decision and will move forward with learnings and a renewed focus on a broader Dunya Initiative that will be launched later in 2019.