- In collaboration with the Farjam Foundation, NYU Abu Dhabi has launched the Tarek Al Ghoussein Fellowship to honor the late artist’s career and achievements.
- Adele Bea Cipste, an MFA student at NYUAD, is the first recipient of the prestigious fellowship.
Abu Dhabi, UAE, May 22, 2024: With generous support from the Farjam Foundation, NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) has established a new fellowship in honor of the late Tarek Al-Ghoussein, professor of visual arts and first program director of the Master of Fine Arts program at NYUAD.
The Fellowship will be awarded every academic year to an outstanding student in the MFA program. The first recipient of the Tarek Al-Ghoussein Fellowship is Adele Bea Cipste, who completed her undergraduate degree at NYUAD in 2022 and who is currently pursuing an MFA in Art and Media at the University.
“It is always great to see students recognized for their achievements, and it is wonderful that Adele Bea Cipste has been named the first Tarek Al-Ghoussein Fellow,” said NYUAD Vice Chancellor Mariët Westermann. “Adele is an outstanding graduate student who was mentored by Tarek Al-Ghoussein, and has already become a key participant in the growing UAE art community. We miss Tarek, and are proud that his legacy at NYUAD and in the international art world continues to shine. We are profoundly grateful to the Farjam Foundation for supporting this valued initiative.”
“The Farjam Foundation is proud to support this Fellowship, an initiative conceived with Dr Mariet Westermann in order to recognize the enduring legacy of Tarek Al Ghoussein, and to offer future generations the possibility of contributing to the growth of the UAE creative community,” stated Dr Farhad Farjam, Founder of the Farjam Foundation.
Tarek Al-Ghoussein, a revered professor at NYUAD and highly regarded artist of international renown, made an indelible mark on the artistic and academic landscape of the UAE. He joined NYUAD’s art faculty in 2013 and was granted tenure in 2019. His contributions to the arts at the University were profound, and they extended far beyond the classroom and the studio. Museums around the world collected his acclaimed photographic works, celebrated for their deep engagement with his Palestinian and Kuwaiti heritage and the changing landscapes of the Gulf. In 2013 Al-Ghoussein represented Kuwait at the 55th Venice Biennale, the world’s biggest and most historic stage for showcasing contemporary art.