Aseel AlYaqoub Wins 7th Ithra Art Prize for Speculative Herbarium Flora Incognita
Aseel AlYaqoub has been honored with the seventh Ithra Art Prize for her work, Flora Incognita (2026), which explores the botanical history of the Gulf through a unique herbarium concept. This announcement was made by the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) in Dhahran, showcasing their commitment to contemporary art. AlYaqoub will receive a $100,000 grant, and her piece will become part of Ithra's permanent collection. Currently, Flora Incognita is on display at the Ithra Museum, along with works from four other finalists: Bady Dalloul's Matchboxes Drawings (2026), Heba Y Amin Elmahamly's The Last Carrier: Iteration I (2026), Ala Younis's Lifted Arches (2026), and Jawad Al Malhi's Ashes of Absence (2026). A jury of five international members chose the winner.
Key facts
- Aseel AlYaqoub won the seventh Ithra Art Prize for Flora Incognita (2026).
- The prize includes a USD 100,000 grant and acquisition of the work into Ithra's permanent collection.
- Flora Incognita is a speculative herbarium of hybrid plant forms exploring botanical records' influence on Gulf perceptions.
- The award was announced at a ceremony in Dhahran by the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra).
- The work is on view at the Ithra Museum alongside four other shortlisted projects.
- Shortlisted artists include Bady Dalloul, Heba Y Amin Elmahamly, Ala Younis, and Jawad Al Malhi.
- The jury consisted of Farah Abushullaih, Tarek Abou El Fetouh, Dr Nada Shabout, Jérôme Sans, and Nadia Kaabi-Linke.
- The seventh edition provides production funds to all five finalists.
Entities
Artists
- Aseel AlYaqoub
- Bady Dalloul
- Heba Y Amin Elmahamly
- Ala Younis
- Jawad Al Malhi
- Farah Abushullaih
- Tarek Abou El Fetouh
- Nada Shabout
- Jérôme Sans
- Nadia Kaabi-Linke
- Heba Y. Amin
Institutions
- King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra)
- Ithra Museum
- King Abdulaziz Center for Culture (Ithra)
Locations
- Dhahran
- Saudi Arabia
- Gulf