Louvre Abu Dhabi, in partnership with Richard Mille, has opened the fourth edition of the Louvre Abu Dhabi Art Here exhibition, which will be on display until 15 December 2024. The exhibition highlights contemporary artworks, offering a platform for both emerging and established artists from the GCC and North Africa.
The exhibition aims to underscore the museum's dedication to cultural dialogue and innovation, featuring a diverse range of pieces that showcase the region's rich and dynamic contemporary practices. Set beneath the museum's dome, Art Here 2024 showcases five sculptures and installations shortlisted for the 2024 Richard Mille Art Prize, featuring exceptional artists from the UAE, Tunisia and Egypt.
Manuel Rabaté, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, said: "We are grateful for our continued partnership with Richard Mille, which strengthens our vision as a universal museum by broadening the scope of cultural dialogue. Displaying the work of contemporary artists from the Arab World at the museum is a core mission for us, and Art Here offers them a unique opportunity to gain recognition and share their perspectives with a global audience. The fourth edition of Art Here marks a significant evolution in both depth and maturity, with a remarkable selection of artists that exemplifies innovation and excellence in contemporary art."
Guilhem André, Director Scientific, Curatorial and Collection Management at Louvre Abu Dhabi, said: "This year's exhibition marks a significant expansion in our artistic outreach, now including contemporary artists from North Africa alongside the GCC. Under guest curator Simon Njami’s expert guidance, the jury has selected artists who are presenting works that beautifully display the interplay between transformation, cultural dialogue and the nuanced relationship between heritage and modernity."
Art Here 2024 features the works of five artists: Franco-Tunisian artist Férielle Doulain-Zouari’s Tilling the Soil; Emirati artist Lamya Gargash’s Debutante Ball; Egyptian artist Moataz Nasr’s The Brides of the Sky, Tunisian artist Nicène Kossentini's Landscapes, and Sarah Almehairi’s Shared Motion.
Simon Njami, Curator of Art Here 2024, said: "This exhibition marks a new beginning for the Richard Mille Art Prize. By widening the scope of applicants, we have expanded the possibilities for aesthetic confrontations, dialogues and challenges. The exhibition aims to reflect the evolution of contemporary art practices in the region and beyond. One particularity of this project is that it is tailored to be in harmony with the shelter represented by Louvre Abu Dhabi. All the works, conceived specifically for the Prize, were produced site-specifically and will create an environment that should enchant the audience."
The finalists for the Richard Mille Art Prize were selected by a distinguished five-member jury, led by His Excellency Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, an Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Chairman of UAE Unlimited, an art collector, and a patron of the Centre Pompidou, the British Museum and Sharjah Art Foundation.
Also part of the jury are Dr Guilhem André, Director of Scientific Curatorial and Collection Management at Louvre Abu Dhabi; Simon Njami, Art Here 2024 exhibition guest curator; Nujoom Alghanem, Emirati poet, artist and film director, as well as Maya Allison, the Founding Director of the Art Gallery and Chief Curator at New York University Abu Dhabi.
The jury received over 200 submissions from artists across the participating regions, of which five artworks were shortlisted. The winner of the Richard Mille Art Prize will be announced at a ceremony in December 2024 and awarded USD60,000.
