Emirati artist Maitha Abdalla has been honored with the inaugural Coup de Coeur award by French luxury jewelry house Boucheron at the MENART Fair 2026, held in Paris from October 23 to 25. The prize recognizes female artists from the Middle East and North Africa whose work challenges traditional boundaries and offers unique perspectives.

Abdalla received the award for her bronze sculpture “Hug My Land,” which responds to the fair's theme, "Where is Home?" Standing approximately one meter tall, the piece depicts a female figure folded inward with her arms wrapped around herself, symbolizing both vulnerability and protection. Originally envisioned as an embrace of the land, the sculpture evolved into a reflection on the concept of home as an internalized experience rather than a physical location.

In a statement, Abdalla explained that the work “evokes an almost bodily relationship to the land: what it transmits to us, what we project onto it, and what we continue to carry within us when we move away.”

Born in Sharjah in 1989, Abdalla’s multidisciplinary artistic practice spans painting, sculpture, film, photography, and performance. Her work frequently draws upon theater, folklore, and mythology to explore themes such as memory, psychology, and social conditioning. She has showcased her art at prominent institutions including the Sharjah Biennial 15, the UAE National Pavilion at the 59th Venice Biennale, and the Aichi Triennale 2025.

The MENART Fair, established in 2021, focuses on modern and contemporary art from the Middle East and North Africa region. Since 2024, Boucheron has partnered with the fair to support emerging artists and spotlight women creators, underscoring the ongoing effort to elevate diverse artistic voices from the MENA region.