Hannan Arshad wins The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award 2025

Under the patronage of Sheikha Shamsa bint Hamdan Al Nahyan, New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), in partnership with Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (AD-MAF), has announced the winning project for The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award 2025.

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The winner of the thirteenth edition of The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award is Hannan Arshad, under the mentorship of Assistant Professor at the College of Architecture, Art and Design (CAAD) at the American University of Sharjah (AUS), Christianna Bonin. Hannan is a UAE-based Indian artist and graphic designer, who explores storytelling through materials, fabrication and historical research. Focused on political dialogue and cultural memory, her work includes installation, print and digital media, film and photography.

Her interest in Mughal history and materiality began during visits to the Raza Library in Rampur and the Bada Imambara in Lucknow, in India. It later developed into Safekeeping Stories during her senior studio with Assistant Professor Amparo Baquerizas Carreras, at AUS. The project has since expanded to encompass larger sculptural and architectural references along with imagery and text, reimagining the past as something tactile, participatory, and alive. Safekeeping Stories is an interactive installation that aims to preserve Mughal architectural and cultural knowledge. The artist recreates traditional Lakhori bricks, alongside nearly-forgotten brick and mortar Mughal techniques, that incorporate edible materials.