Meet the 2025 Competition Judges

Atheek stepped in to the world of art at the age of nine. With over a decade of professional experience in the art field, Atheek has showcased his work in numerous public exhibitions and at various national and international festivals.

Getting his inspiration from simple things in daily life, such as the raw colors of the sky, or the dust on the windowsill, he likes to experiment with contrasting forms of art, from traditional art to digitial forms.

Atheek served as a Board Member of Maldivian Artist Community and is currently the Arts and Creative Manager at Pulse Hotels and Resorts in the Maldives.

Atheek's artist profile can be viewed from here and instagram on @atikey

Matt Adnate is an Australian artist, well known for his captivating murals that often feature monumental portraits of Indigenous individuals
shining a spotlight on their culture, heritage, and struggles.

One of his notable achievements is his 20-storey mural on ahousing commission building in Melbourne that has become a symbol of
inclusivity and community empowerment. He won the Archibald Packing Room Prize in 2024 and an ARIA for Best Cover Art in 2022 for his work on Baker Boy's album "Gela."

Adorning the walls of major cities such as Singapore, Londonand New York, Adnate has painted thousands of his murals throughout Australia,
Asia and Europe.

In recognition of his artistic career, Adnate was selected to have an Art Series hotel dedicated to his work in Perth, Australia. “The Adnate” hotel features a massive 25-storey mural hand painted by Adnate, which
has become a landmark in the city and a celebration of his art and its message.

Check out more: www.adnate.com.au.

Madhusha is an award-winning contemporary artist and known for her unique approach to creating realistic portraits that blend innovative mediums with dimensional depth.

With a Bachelor of Painting from India and over a decade of experience in exhibitions, she has garnered national and international acclaim, including three prestigious international awards.

Now based in the Maldives, Madhusha currently works as an art educator.

Born in Male', Maldives (1975), and currently living and working also in Male', Afu has been a practicing artist since the age of 18. Trained in graphic designing, in his early career, he was a pivotal force in the advertising industry. Concurrently, he has also been making art and contributed immensely for the development of the art community in the Maldives.

Afu's work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions, in Maldives and internationally, including Malaysia, China, India, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Japan, Germany, Tanzania and in the UK. A number of his works are in the permanent collection of the The National Art Gallery of Maldives.

He received the Maldives National Award of Recognition for Visual Arts in 2014. Afu completed his Masters in Fine Arts at Bath Spa University (UK) in 2020.

Check out his instagram @afumeehaa and website on www.afushaafiu.com.