An article in The Economist charts the ongoing progress of The Louvre Abu Dubai, part of the Saadiyat Island Cultural District being built on a sandbar off the course of the U.A.E. city. “It will be a museum of and for the world,” says Rita Aoun-Abdo, head of the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority. (more…)
A leaked letter from Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, the chairman of the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, to the then director of the Louvre, Henri Loyrette has revealed frustrations between the Middle Eastern state and the French museum, which is currently planning for its new museum in the Gulf state. Written last year, the letter takes the Louvre to task for failing to spend a €25 Million gift from the country, and criticizes the Louvre for not minimizing the role of the Emeratis in the acquisition of works for the new museum. (more…)
The Art Dubai fair closed its doors yesterday on the most successful fair in its seven year history, with $45 million in fine art exhibited over the course of the four day fair. Initial reports signal strong sales across the board, and underlines the rising prominence of the city for the global arts market. “The growth of Art Dubai over the past seven years reflects the rising prominence of the UAE as a centre of art and cultural discourse.” said Fair Director Antonia Carver. (more…)
The 2013 Edition of Art Dubai opens this week, featuring a number of high-profile works from Yayoi Kusama, Chris Burden, and Wim Delvoye. Featuring 75 museum groups from over 30 countries, the show has brought $45 Million in art to the Middle Eastern City. “From the perspective of business, Dubai has centrality no one can deny,” said Arif Naqvi, a Dubai real estate executive. “In the regional cultural perspective, the city is acquiring the same centrality.” (more…)
Pablo Picasso’s never before exhibited collage Portrait of a Lady will be exhibited for the first time at the Louvre Abu Dhabi. The work was acquired last December, and will go on view next month as part of the Birth of a Museum exhibition. “Being a collage, it’s one of the key elements that Picasso used and it’s not something that is always seen in other museums. It’s a very distinct style that he developed at that time.” Says Louvre project manager Hissa Al Dhaheri. (more…)
The Art Dubai fair has announced its commissioned projects for 2013, including works by Mary Evans, Mohammed Kazem and Fatima Al-Qadiri. The works range in scope and size, from a festival wide radio project to a video gallery installed within a narrow stairwell, and reflect the blend of Arabic and global artworks on view at the fair. (more…)
