RUNNING through April 16 at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi is “Emirati Expressions,” a celebration of artistic diversity in the United Arab Emirates and the first survey of Emirati art. The exhibition showcases 64 native Emirati artists working in all disciplines and representing several generations.
On display are paintings, photography, sculpture, graphic design, video and calligraphy curated by Anne Baldassari, director of the Musee National Picasso, Paris. The exhibition captures the “movement of thought” at the intersection of cultures and influences. It’s a rare opportunity to appreciate art straight from the Emirati heart and all are invited to see the show in person. If you can’t travel to Abu Dhabi, all the artists who are part of this project are represented within the online Emirati Expressions gallery at www.artsabudhabi.com.
In order to enhance the exhibition, “Talking Art: Discussing art in the heart of the Emirates,” a nine week program of talks, lectures and events featuring international and regional partners is underway. The program schedule is online at www.artsabudhabi.com. All events in the program are free, in English and Arabic, open to everyone and take place in the auditorium space of Gallery One at the Emirates Palace. The program schedule is online at www.artsabudhabi.com.
Emirati Expressions “provides a public forum for our artists, and for an audience that deserves to know about their work. It contributes toward our essential mission of making educational experiences available for everyone. It moves us forward in transforming Abu Dhabi city into a gracious and welcoming capital. And it advances us toward opening the now renowned Cultural District of Saadiyat Island, planned to be the largest concentration of premier cultural resources in the world,” said Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al-Nahyan, chairman of the Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), which organized the exhibition.
TDIC is a privately operated development arm of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority and the master developer of Abu Dhabi’s major tourism destinations. TDIC is creating Abu Dhabi’s flagship development, Saadiyat Island. Due for completion by 2018, Saadiyat Island occupies 27 square kilometers and lies to the north east of Abu Dhabi. It has been developed with an eco-sensitive philosophy and will eventually be home to 150,000 people.
The Cultural District on Saadiyat Island will be the site of some of the world’s most prestigious museums including the Sheikh Zayed National Museum, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Museum, and a maritime museum and performing arts center, making Abu Dhabi a cultural destination of world-class significance.