Sharjah Art Foundation announces winners of first PARA Fellowship for art writers

Winners of first PARA Fellowship for art writers

Sharjah, UAE: The Sharjah Art Foundation (SAF) has announced the winners of its first PARA Fellowship for art writers. This new programme, a collaborative effort with the Alkazi Foundation for the Arts, Asia Art Archive, and Contemporary And (C&), spotlights and supports the next generation of critical thinkers from Asia and Africa.

The fellowship aims to address the urgent need for diverse, speculative, and rigorous writing that expands art history beyond established narratives.

From a robust pool of 235 applications spanning countries like India, Egypt, South Africa, Vietnam, and the Philippines, five exceptional emerging and mid-career writers were selected.

This diverse group of fellows will now access unparalleled mentorship and networking opportunities, poised to deepen their impact on cultural theory and art criticism globally. This initiative is a clear signal that the future of art discourse will be shaped by voices from these vital regions.

A New Generation of Critical Thinkers

The five inaugural PARA fellows demonstrate a sharp, critical awareness and a willingness to push the boundaries of art writing. Their practices are deeply attuned to local contexts while engaging with transcontinental concerns, from decolonial narratives to environmental challenges.

The selected recipients are:

• Adwait Singh (Agra, India): An independent curator and writer whose work explores the intersections of ecology, animism, and biopolitics, devoted to contextualising alternative practices in South Asia.

• Le Huu Hoang Anh (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and Taipei, Taiwan): An aspiring art historian and researcher focusing on the intersections of contemporary art, craft, and the environment in Southeast Asia.

• Samantha Del Castillo (Caloocan City, Philippines): A writer and activist whose critically astute practice recently earned her a column in ArtAsiaPacific through the Purita Kalaw-Ledesma Prize for Art Criticism.

• Wabwire Ian Joseph (Kampala, Uganda): A cultural strategist, producer, and writer committed to decolonial narratives, spotlighting contemporary African artists in publications like ArtNews and Artsy.

• Youyou Wang (Beijing, China): An art historian, writer, and curator whose critical practice interrogates modes of perception to articulate alternative art-historical narratives.

The jury was thrilled by the finalists’ work, noting that their texts were both rigorous in their theoretical arguments and compelling in their formulation. They also privileged the art of storytelling and showed an openness to experimenting with literary form. This cohort includes cultural strategists, activists, and practitioners deeply engaged with institutional critique and the effects of climate change and technology.

The Power of Mentorship and Global Networks

The PARA Fellowship offers a rich support system designed to foster sustained growth. At its core is a series of one-on-one sessions with a stellar lineup of five established mentors, each a leader in their respective field.

The mentors are:

• Charis Poon: Artist and educator focused on poetics in communication and collective endeavours.

• Kaelen Wilson-Goldie: Acclaimed writer and critic for major publications including Artforum, Frieze, and The New York Times.

• Nada Shabout: Regents Professor of Art History and expert on contemporary Arab and Muslim cultural studies.

• Russel Hlongwane: Cultural producer from South Africa exploring heritage, modernity, and tradition on Black life.

• Sabih Ahmed: Curator and culture theorist focusing on global itineraries and inter-disciplinary formations in modern and contemporary art.

Beyond mentorship, the fellows receive material, communal, and institutional support. Their original texts will feature in a compilation, and they will develop a new piece of art criticism for a forthcoming anthology. Crucially, they will be hosted in Sharjah for a week-long programme of workshops, visits, and peer-led gatherings. This in-person exchange is vital for fostering the transnational networks necessary for a globally aware practice.

Driving Force Behind the Initiative

The fellowship’s strength comes from the collaboration of its founding organisations. The jury for this inaugural year comprised representatives from all four: Rahaab Allana (Alkazi Foundation for the Arts), Paul C. Fermin (Asia Art Archive), Yvette Mutumba (Contemporary And), and Jyoti Dhar (Sharjah Art Foundation).

The jury’s statement underscores the necessity of the PARA programme, calling the high volume and quality of applications a "clear signal of the urgency" to support writing from Asia and Africa. They believe PARA will be a vital space for the fellows to deepen the questions they are already pursuing in their local contexts while providing the resources to expand their reach across continents.

The Sharjah Art Foundation (SAF), the driving force behind this initiative, continues its role as a key catalyst for contemporary art. SAF, known for the long-running Sharjah Biennial and the annual March Meeting, is dedicated to a programmatic model that supports the production, presentation, and critical understanding of art. Its deep commitment to fostering cultural dialogue, particularly by supporting voices outside of traditional Western art centres, is strongly reflected in the creation of the PARA Fellowship.

This programme is more than just an award; it is a critical investment in the future of art history. By supporting writers who are already producing sophisticated, cutting-edge work, PARA is ensuring that the complexities, nuances, and alternative narratives of art from Africa and Asia will receive the global visibility and critical engagement they deserve. The impact of these five fellows, empowered by a network of globally recognised mentors and institutions, promises to significantly enrich and reshape the contemporary art discourse for years to come.