judges - middle east & africa
touria El Glaoui
Middle East & Africa
Touria El Glaoui is Founding Director of 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, which takes place in London, New York and Marrakech every year. She has been named one of Forbes’ 100 most powerful women in Africa, and by New African as one of the most influential Africans in business. She has spoken widely on contemporary African art and women in leadership around the world.
What they say
What do you love about art?
Art makes you feel it all. It’s like my pilates class, it makes me bend and stretch in all directions both physically and mentally, but once I’m done I feel anew
Artwork that first blew your mind?
Number one will always be the work of my artist father. Then the paintings and drawings that depict Moroccan life and culture by Matisse 1952
Favourite art ‘ism’?
Does feminism and womanism count? These movements have and continue to inspire some badass work by female artists
Princess Alia Al-Senussi
Middle East & Africa
Princess Alia Al-Senussi is on the board of various non-profit arts committees and museum patron groups. She previously chaired the Tate Young Patrons and sits on the Council of the ICA amongst other roles. Alia is also a founding member of the Tate’s Acquisitions Committee for the Middle East and Africa. She works professionally for Art Basel as a representative for both the UK and the Middle East.
What they say
Artwork that first blew your mind?
Olafur Eliasson’s The Weather Project
Your surreal go-to object?
Curlicue mustache. The Walrus defined
Favourite art ‘-ism’?
Liberalism, with an intolerance to evil. Art must be politics in the current atmosphere
Nina Mahdavi
Middle East & Africa
Nina Mahdavi is Founder and Director of Caspian Arts Foundation, a non-profit art and education organisation that provides Middle Eastern artists with funding to complete their art training in London.
What they say
What do you do?
I'm a connector and sometimes say things people don't like to hear but end up being right. That can be quite satisfying!
What do you love about art?
Being able to not love art and to be free with the eye. Art is vital in creating new neural pathways
Artwork that first blew your mind?
Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling; it still blows my mind
Neo Maditla
Middle East & Africa
Neo Maditla is Editor in Chief of DesignIndaba.com, the leading design and creativity platform in South Africa. She is a seasoned writer with experience in print, TV and online. Design Indaba strives to be the foremost voice on how creativity and design can lead to a better world. The online platform features some of the best talent on the African continent and from around the globe.
What they say
What do you do?
I am Editor in Chief of the creativity website www.designindaba.com, which means I write and edit articles and help my team do the same
What do you love about art?
I love how open to interpretation art is. We can both look at the same work and see completely different things - and both be right
Your favourite art'-ism'?
Brutalism, especially in how it relates to architecture, art and design
Anton Welz
Middle East & Africa
Anton Welz is a name synonymous with the South African auctioneering world. He’s the grandson of Jean Welz, one of South Africa’s 20th Century Masters, and the nephew of the famous auctioneer Stephan Welz. He’s currently based at the Cape Town branch of Stephan Welz & Co, working as an auctioneer and Art & Furniture specialist.
What they say
What do you love about art?
It’s so subjective that almost any work will find someone who loves it, and we in the auction world are very grateful for that as it keeps us in business
Artwork that first blew my mind?
Probably Jasper Johns’ American flag, I remember seeing it as a student and being very impressed
My surreal go-to object?
The sea, constantly changing and almost alive
Ziggi Golding
Middle East & Africa
Ziggi Golding is the Founder of Z Agency and Z Photographic. Her agencies have helped to develop artistic talent across the arts industries since the 80s. Ziggi has worked across art, film, fashion and music - as a creative director for record labels, as an executive producer on films, and as an exhibition curator.
What they say
What do you love about art?
Art is an abstract form of food, it humanises man
Artwork that first blew my mind?
Velasquez painting of Princess Margarita, daughter of Philip IV of Spain. The painting my mother asked me to choose for my bedroom aged 4
Favourite art ‘-ism’?
Situationalism - provokes people to think no matter how uncomfortable
Adalet garmiany
Middle East & Africa
Adalet Garmiany is Founder and Chief Executive of ArtRole, an international arts organisation dedicated to building a cultural bridge between the Middle East and the rest of the world. Adalet has spent 20 years facilitating artistic dialogue, exchange and support. He has worked with renowned international artists, including Mona Hatoum and Paula Rego. And in fact he’s a successful artist himself.
What they say
What do you do?
I act as a cultural bridge between the Iraq war zone and the rest of the world, my aim being to acknowledge and celebrate diversity and cultural difference. Through art, technology and new media we have created a platform in Iraq for international and local artists to address the hopes and needs of emerging generations
What do you love about art?
I believe that art should provoke emotions and thoughts, and help us to interrogate this
complex world. In my artwork I re-interpret cultural ideas from the Middle East and place them
in the context of a globalised world
Artwork that first blew your mind?
Joseph Beuys