HH Sheikha Moza chooses Grand Prize winner of VCUarts Qatar's Modern Prayer Rug Design Competition

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HH Sheikha Moza visits 'Modern Prayer Rug' exhibition at Msheireb Museums

HH Sheikha Moza chooses Grand Prize winner of VCUarts Qatar's Modern Prayer Rug Design Competition


Doha, Qatar, 17 October 2017

The libraries of Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) are pleased to announce the winners of the Modern Prayer Rug Design Competition. Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, chose the Grand Prize winner Sidra Sohail, a student of VCUarts Qatar.

The Second Prize was awarded to the design team of Ahmed Al Nowfal Al Tamimi, a student of Texas A&M University at Qatar and Masa Jamili, a student of VCUarts Qatar. The Third Prize was awarded to May Makia, a graduate of Hamad Bin Khalifa University.

Dean of VCUarts Qatar, Dr. Akel I. Kahera, announced the awards at the opening reception of the Modern Prayer Rug Exhibition at Company House, Msheireb Museums, on October 12, 2017.

The Modern Prayer Rug Design Competition, inspired by the creative vision of Her Highness, challenged students from across Qatar to submit concept designs that reimagined the Islamic prayer rug using traditional or unconventional materials, while honoring the richness and the values of Islamic culture and heritage. The competition was launched by the Materials Library of VCUarts Qatar in May 2017 and was open to students and alumni aged 15 years and older from schools from across Qatar.

Six finalists were selected on the overall strength of their concepts, the elements and principles of design, and the creative use of materials. The rugs represent the work of individual and team entries. The rugs were prototyped during the summer of 2017 and put on exhibition at Company House October 12, 2017.

The following finalists were awarded certificates of Distinguished Achievement: Aaqifa Altaf, a student of VCUarts Qatar, Hossain Mohammad Yasin Arafat, a graduate of M.E.S. Indian School, Maryam Al Semaitt, a student at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, Nawar Al Mutlaq, a graduate of VCUarts Qatar, Neihan Yaqoob, a graduate of VCUarts Qatar, and Sultana Jesmine, a student at VCUarts Qatar.