We are thrilled to welcome London-based British-Lebanese sculptor Bushra Fakhoury to the Women in Art Prize 2026 jury. Her bold, emotionally charged work bridges personal narrative, political awareness, and a truly global perspective — and we're honoured to have her discerning eye judging this year's sculpture submissions.
Fakhoury's creative expression is fuelled by a rich tapestry of influences, from contemporary global politics to her time living and teaching among the Samburu people in Kenya. Artistically, she draws deep inspiration from masters such as Goya and Rodin, crafting bronze, resin, and mixed-media sculptures that fuse human and animal forms with surrealism, humour, and profound moral urgency. Working without preliminary sketches, she allows each piece to evolve through a direct, physical dialogue with her materials — a process that gives her figures a remarkable sense of suspended transformation, caught between the earthly and the divine.
Public Commissions & Exhibitions
Her monumental public commissions include Dunamis — a gravity-defying bronze on Park Lane, London, created in support of the conservation charity Tusk Trust — and Danse Gwenedour, unveiled by Marble Arch. Her work has been exhibited at the Mall Galleries, Catto Gallery, and the Royal West of England Academy, and is held in private collections across the UK, Europe, the USA, the Middle East, and Africa.
The Mandrake Hotel
The Mandrake Hotel — the luxurious Fitzrovia art oasis built around her family's creative vision — serves as both a living gallery for her surrealist sculptures and the venue where she reflected on her life's journey in recent profiles. The hotel's interiors, designed by her daughter Tala Fustok and featuring artwork by her son Mal Fostock, are adorned with Fakhoury's striking pieces, making it a deeply personal and artistic home.
We are therefore especially excited to announce that the winning sculpture from this year's prize will be displayed at The Mandrake Hotel, alongside major works by Salvador Dalí, Jonas Burgert, and Francesco Clemente — an extraordinary opportunity for the selected artist to be placed in direct dialogue with such iconic names.
Bushra Fakhoury brings to our jury a lifetime of sculpting not just form, but the stories that connect humanity. Her presence, alongside her son Mal Fostock in their joint 2025 Frieze Week exhibition TRANSMUTE, proved her enduring vitality. Now, she will help us discover and champion the next generation of women sculptors.