An installation exploring archaeological interpretation through local knowledge, using the fishing hook to connect ancient and contemporary livelihoods shaped by the sea.

Everyday Artifacts examines how objects acquire new meanings through archaeological discovery and interpretation. Focusing on the prehistoric site of Tell Abraq, situated on the border between Umm Al Quwain and Sharjah, the installation considers local knowledge and contemporary lifestyles as a framework for understanding the past.

Rather than focusing on precious objects associated with power, trade and global influence, the installation draws attention to everyday tools, including fishing hooks, awls and hammers, which offer insights into how people lived and interacted with their environments. The fishing hook, used at Tell Abraq as long as four thousand years ago, connects ancient and contemporary livelihoods that have relied on the sea.

Taking the form of a partially buried hook, the installation suspends the artifact at the moment of its transformation, inviting public interpretation of archaeological matter and the meanings assigned to objects over time.

About The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award
Established in 2012, the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award supports UAE-based students and graduates within the last seven years in creating public artworks across the Emirates. Presented by New York University Abu Dhabi in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Shamsa Bint Hamdan Al Nahyan, the Award provides a $10,000 grant and professional guidance from the NYUAD Art Gallery team throughout an eight-month production period, supporting artists from commission through to exhibition.