A new exhibition at Dubai's Jameel Arts Centre is showcasing works by finalists of the triennial Jameel Prize, including 2021 winner Ajlan Gharem.

A version of the Saudi artist's Paradise Has Many Gates is featured in Jameel Prize: Poetry to Politics, which also showcases works by eight artists from the UAE, India, Iran, Lebanon, Pakistan and the UK.

The £25,000 ($34,000) Jameel Prize is a collaboration between Art Jameel in Riyadh and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and recognises contemporary art and design inspired by Islamic tradition.

Saudi artist Ajlan Gharem’s installation is part of the Jameel Prize: Poetry to Politics exhibition in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

Gharem’s architectural installation, made from industrial steel and chicken wire constructed in the shape of a functional mosque, is open to several interpretations. It seeks to provide an open place for people to witness Islamic prayer while also conjuring up images of Guantanamo Bay or refugee detention centres in the US.

Other artists featured in the exhibition include designer and textile artist Hadeyeh Badri from the UAE; Kallol Datta, a clothes designer from India who grew up in the UAE and Bahrain; multimedia artist and designer Golnar Adili from Iran; graphic designer Farah Fayyad from Lebanon; architect, artist and activist Sofia Karim from the UK; and artist Bushra Waqas Khan from Pakistan.

Jameel Prize: Poetry to Politics will be running at the Jameel Art Centre until January 7.