From a priceless statue of a Bactrian princess from the late third millennium to a small – 44 centimetres – but stunning bronze figurine of the Egyptian god Osiris that dates back to 1085 BC, through to The Good Samaritan, a painting by Flemish artist Jacob Jordaens from the 17th century, art lovers in the UAE are in for a treat when the three-month-long exhibition The Birth of a Museum opens on Monday, April 22.
In the run up to the 2015 opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, which will showcase some of the best art pieces from around the world including a Middle-Eastern gold bracelet with a lion’s head that is approximately 3,000 years old, the exhibition at Saadiyat Cultural district on Saadiyat Island will give an artistic taste of what’s to come.
One-hundred and thirty art works that will be part of the permanent collection of Louvre Abu Dhabi will be on display at the exhibition. “This exhibition will show art lovers the movement between different cultures and civilisations down the ages and the contact between different kinds of arts around the world,” Hissa Al Dhaheri, project manager of the Louvre Abu Dhabi said.
The result of an agreement between the French and Abu Dhabi governments, The Louvre Abu Dhabi will display objects of historical, artistic, cultural and sociological significance.
“[The] Saadiyat Cultural District will create a cultural destination that will repeatedly attract visitors from the world of arts and culture,” Shaikh Sultan Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, who is the Chairman of the Board at Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority overseeing the project, said in a statement. “The museums will facilitate the development of cultural leaders and experts through education and employment, creating fulfilling career opportunities for UAE nationals. In turn this will integrate culture and arts into the daily life of the community, assisting to value, sustain and preserve the cultural heritage.”
But it’s not just the ever-growing permanent collection of artworks that are beautiful to look at – the iconic building that will house the masterpieces is equally pleasing to the eye. Designed by Pritzker-prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel, the 64,000-square-metre Louvre Abu Dhabi will encompass 9,200 square metres of art galleries. The 6,000-square-metre Permanent Gallery will house the permanent collection, while there will be 2,000 square metres for international temporary exhibitions.
Conceived as a complex of pavilions, plazas, alleyways and canals, together they evoke the image of a city floating on the sea. Hovering over the complex will be a form inspired by traditional Arabic architecture: a vast, shallow dome – some 180 metres in diameter – with interlaced patterns so that a magical, diffused light will filter through.
Birth of a Museum is the 13th exhibition held prior to the opening of the Saadiyat Cultural District museums. Exhibitions are held at Manarat Al Saadiyat, the art exhibition centre on Saadiyat Island that opened in 2010. As with all exhibitions organised in preparation for the opening of the museums in the Saadiyat Cultural District, this one too will be supported by a diverse cultural programme of talks, tours and workshops. A book detailing a significant part of the collection acquired to date will also be published.
“The Louvre Abu Dhabi project is singular and will remain so. It is not intended to duplicate the Louvre, but to transmit what it is,” Henri Loyrette, director, Louvre, Paris, has said.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi is sure to usher in a new art era in the region. If all goes according to plan, Abu Dhabi will become a haven for art enthusiasts and the UAE will have yet another feather in its cap.
