THE ART CIRCLE
دائرة الفن
JURY MEMBERS FOR 2024
Myrna Ayad has authored, edited and contributed to several books, magazines and daily publications on visual art and culture from the Arab world and Iran for over two decades. A frequent panelist, jurist, and moderator, her role as an independent cultural strategist allows her to work on projects within the luxury sector, government entities, private companies, and non-profit organizations. Based in the UAE for over four decades, Ayad is a graduate of the American University in Dubai and lives in Dubai with her husband and two children.
Muna Al Gurg is an Emirati philanthropist and businesswoman. She is Vice Chairperson and Director of Retail at the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group. She is on the board of directors of several companies, including HSBC Bank Middle East Limited. In 2023 she founded the Meem Foundation, dedicated to addressing the unique challenges faced by women and girls in the Middle East and North Africa.
Muna was Chairwoman of Young Arab Leaders UAE, where she promoted education, entrepreneurship and youth development. She also advocates for a greater role for women in business. In 2015 she launched the Muna Al Gurg Scholarship at London Business School, supporting female students studying in the school’s MBA and Executive MBA programme. She is also a part of the Steering Committee of Dubai Collection, an initiative to collect, promote and exhibit artworks that convey the spirit of the emirate.
She serves on the board of her family’s foundation, the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Charity Foundation. Muna is a founding board member of Endeavor UAE, a non-profit organisation promoting high-impact entrepreneurship in emerging and growth markets, and she has served on the board of the Emirates Youth Foundation.
Faisal Al Hassan is the Director of 421, a leading arts organization in the region that nurtures emerging creative practitioners and facilitates artistic exchange through exhibitions, learning, research, and commissions. Since its establishment in 2015, Faisal has led 421’s strategy, programming, and community-driven initiatives, and has developed key institutional partnerships in the UAE and internationally. Prior to his role at 421, Al Hasan was the Programs Manager at the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation and the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi, and part of cultural projects such as Manarat Al Saadiyat, Qasr Al Hosn Festival, and Abu Dhabi Art.
Dedicating over 17 years of his career to cultural production and international relations, Al Hassan worked in the Royal Court of Jordan and on several major global events, including the World Economic Forum, Petra Conference of Nobel Laureates, the Royal Film Commission, and the Jordan Media Institute. Faisal received his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, with a specialization in International Relations from the American University in Cairo, and later received a diploma from the Institute of Diplomacy in Jordan.
Azim Al Ghussein is an artist, illustrator, cartoonist and current Senior Manager of Library and Research at Jameel Library. In his practice, Azim pursues ways in which to create prints, share stories and disseminate objects, in response to art market norms that prioritise financial value. His approach revolves around gestures that foster hospitality, learning and sharing, creating an environment conducive to engaging with an unknown guest.
Azim holds a BFA in Graphic Design from AUD and another BFA from SAIC, where he specialised in cartooning. Additionally, he earned an MFA in printmaking and served as a teaching assistant at VCU. Azim has taught in adjunct roles at both VCU and VCUQ as part of an artist residency. Prior to his current role, he worked as an education and outreach coordinator, illustrator and workshop instructor within various art institutes in the UAE.
Founded and directed by Barbara Farahnick-Mathonet in 2018, the Art Circle is a network of international art collectors and art passionate women based in the UAE. It is a non-profit organization that aims to promote arts, artists and institutions from or in connection with the MENASA region.
By membership only, it aspires to develop and grow a circle of likeminded women, passionate and involved in arts, and build hand-in-hand an art lover community. Through a variety of activities such as private visits to exhibitions, artists’ studios, art collections as well as art trips, talks and webinars, it seeks to promote the appreciation of art, nurture artistic growth and encourage conversation.