Egyptian Artist Bahia Shehab and 'eL-Seed' Win UNESCO-Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture

The 14^th annual UNESCO-Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture has been awarded to Egyptian artist Bahia Shehab and French-born Tunisian artist Fawzy Khalife better known as eL Seed.

The announcement was made on Monday by the Chairman of the Department of Culture and Information of the UAE's Emirate of Sharjah, reports the Sharjah 24 news website.

Egyptian graphic Designer Shehab is an associate professor at the American University in Cairo, and has garnered a reputation of creating wonderful contemporary designs using traditional Arabic calligraphy. Her most notable work was entitled A Thousand Time No, which brilliantly traced the history of the Arabic letters lam-alif which form the word 'no' and was shortlisted for the prestigious Victoria and Albert Museum's Jameel Prize in 2010.

While eL Seed, popularly known for his graffiti work, is the artist responsible for beautifully transforming Cairo's Manshiyat Nasser with his insane multi-building mural last march.

Both artists will receive their prize at a lavish ceremony in Paris in April, which annually awards one Arab laureate and one laureate from outside the Arab world. Each artist will take home $30,000 for their efforts.