The competition exhibition “Art Here” continues to support the region’s dynamic art scene by empowering local and regional artists by offering them an important platform to showcase their work and expand their creative horizons.
The jury of this year's edition
The jury has been expanded to include North Africa alongside the GCC, and It is composed of illustrious members coming from diverse backgrounds in the cultural world, each bringing a unique perspective to the selection process.
Returning to the jury are His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Founder and Chairman of the satellite art platform “UAE Unlimited” which supports emerging artists based in the UAE, a prominent patron and art collector and member of the British Museum and Centre Pompidou's board for the acquisition of Middle Eastern art, as well as Guilhem André, Scientific Director, Curatorial and Collections Management at Louvre Abu Dhabi, an experienced museum professional and art historian. Dr. André is committed to building the collection to the highest level of quality and to show, within the museum's galleries, works of art by local and regional contemporary artists, promoting cultural exchange and celebrating artistic diversity. The new jury members include Simon Njami, independent curator, lecturer, art critic and novelist who has curated numerous international exhibitions highlighting contemporary African and non-Western artists; Nujoom Alghanem, renowned poet, artist and award-winning Emirati filmmaker; and Maya Allison, Founding Director of the Art Gallery and Chief Curator at New York University Abu Dhabi.
The artworks produced will be exhibited at the museum from September 20 to December 15, 2024
The selected artists are tasked with translating the concept of openness into visual forms. Openness means beginnings where possibilities are available at any given moment and implies choices and decisions that lead to the direction one chooses to follow. The selected artists will produce sculptures or audiovisual installations that address issues of today and the near future.
Art Here 2024 will take place under the iconic dome of the Louvre Abu Dhabi
This year’s expansion into North Africa draws on curator Simon Njami’s deep expertise in the region, highlighting the museum’s commitment to presenting a diverse range of artistic voices. The visitor’s journey will begin around the courtyard with the Damascene fountain and extend through a passageway to a shallow meditation pool and Jenny Holzer’s public art wall installation.
Notes on the Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum
Created by an exceptional agreement between the governments of Abu Dhabi and France, The Louvre Abu Dhabi was designed by Jean Nouvel and opened on Saadiyat Island in November 2017. The museum is inspired by traditional Islamic architecture and its monumental dome creates a shower of light and a unique social space that brings people together. Louvre Abu Dhabi celebrates the universal creativity of humanity and invites the public to see humanity in a new light. Through its innovative curatorial approach, the museum focuses on building understanding across cultures: through stories of human creativity that transcend civilisations, geographies and time. The museum’s growing collection is unparalleled in the region and spans thousands of years of human history, including prehistoric tools, artefacts, religious texts, iconic paintings and contemporary artworks. The permanent collection is complemented by rotating loans from 19 French partner institutions, regional and international museums. Louvre Abu Dhabi is a testing ground for new ideas in a globalised world and supports new generations of cultural leaders. Its international exhibitions, programming and Children’s Museum are inclusive platforms that connect communities and provide enjoyment for all.
Notes on Richard Mille
Since the brand's inception in 2001, Richard Mille's approach to watchmaking has always been focused
liberating the watch from its limited role as a mere timekeeping instrument, expanding and extending its potential by placing it squarely in the crosshairs of design, art and architecture. Today, 20 years later, the Richard Mille watch collection comprises more than eighty models, each designed and produced with the same passion, uncompromising principles and visionary aesthetics that guided Richard Mille’s first creation. Richard Mille watches are marvels of technology designed specifically for those who appreciate and love Swiss fine watchmaking, exploiting all the possibilities of three-dimensional space, defined both by the volume of the watch case and the movement itself. Within these extremely limited areas, measuring just a few centimetres, they serve as a blank canvas for horological creativity. This assimilation of watchmaking to artistic pursuits is also reflected in the company’s close ties with the arts. The brand’s partnerships in support of contemporary art and artists include sponsorship of the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, the Desert X Contemporary Art Biennale; collaborations with the choreographer Benjamin Millepied, the composer Thomas Roussel and the acquisition of Éditions Cercle d'Art, a publishing house created with the support of Pablo Picasso in the 50s.
