The Jameel Prize is an international award for contemporary art and design inspired by Islamic tradition. Its aim is to explore the relationship between Islamic traditions of art, craft and design and contemporary work as part of a wider debate about Islamic culture and its role today.

There were almost 270 nominations for the Jameel Prize 3 from countries as diverse as Algeria, Brazil, Kosovo, Norway and Russia. A panel of judges, chaired by V&A Director, Martin Roth, selected the shortlist of ten artists and designers, and for the first time it features work from Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan and India.

One of the ten nominated artists was Faig Ahmed. He designs carpets as part of a diverse art practice which also includes painting, video and installation. His carpets are based on Azerbaijan’s ancient weaving traditions. They are made by hand and, for the most part, follow a conventional design. In each case, though, Ahmed reconfigures part of the pattern. In Hollow (2011), one corner of the carpet seems to have collapsed, while in Pixelate Tradition (2010), much of the pattern has disintegrated into pixels. By disrupting traditional forms, Ahmed shows how, “Ideas that have been formed for ages are being changed in moments”.

The show of shortlisted artists and designers, 2013–2014
Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK