Louvre Abu Dhabi names international jury panel for Art Here 2023 and Richard Mille Art Prize

Louvre Abu Dhabi and Swiss watchmaking brand Richard Mille have revealed the jury for the third edition of their contemporary art exhibition Louvre Abu Dhabi Art Here 2023 and The Richard Mille Art Prize, which comes as part of continuous support for the region’s burgeoning arts and cultural ecosystem by providing regional artists with a platform to showcase their talent and capabilities.

Brought from a diverse range of artistic areas including architectural, institutional and curatorial, the jury members of the third edition of the exhibition include His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chairman of UAE Unlimited, an art collector, and a patron of the Centre Pompidou, the British Museum and Sharjah Art Foundation, and Dr Souraya Noujaim, Director of Islamic Arts Department at Musée du Louvre, France and former Director for Scientific, Curatorial and Collections Management at Louvre Abu Dhabi.

The upcoming edition will also feature the addition of new esteemed jury members Maya El Khalil, independent curator and art advisor, former founding director of Athr Gallery in Jeddah, curator for Louvre Abu Dhabi Art Here 2023, Clare Lilley, curator and Director of Yorkshire Sculpture Park, the selector of the annual Frieze Sculpture in London’s Regent’s Park 2012-22 and a trustee of Art UK, London, the George Rickey Foundation, New York, and the Jupiter Artland Foundation, Edinburgh, Guilhem André, Acting Director for Scientific, Curatorial and Collections Management at Louvre Abu Dhabi, seasoned museum professional, expert archaeologist and art historian, and Mohammed Kazem, a renowned Emirati artist previously shortlisted for the 2021 edition of Art Here. This inclusive approach ensures a rich and dynamic selection process, resulting in a compelling and representative exhibition.

Manuel Rabaté, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, said: “As the first universal museum in the Arab world, Louvre Abu Dhabi strives to identify opportunities to continually support the development and growth of the region’s arts and culture ecosystem. With our partner, Richard Mille, we are thrilled to welcome such an esteemed jury for the third edition of Louvre Abu Dhabi Art Here and the Richard Mille Art Prize. The calibre of members of this jury is testament to the calibre and breadth of talent present within the GCC and the growing stature of this exhibition and art prize.”

Peter Harrison, Richard Mille CEO, said: “Art Here 2023 marks a celebration of the regional power of Art and its expression under the intricate layers of Louvre Abu Dhabi’s dome. I’m proud to witness the Richard Mille Art Prize’s continued commitment to nurture this creative spirit, whilst providing a platform for artists to showcase their extraordinary talents. This year, the theme Transparencies will showcase the artists’ remarkable ability to transcend time and space as they are invited to explore reflections, shadows and the fluidity of light. We look forward to seeing how these artists will explore the new dimensions of The Richard Mille Art Prize 2023.”

For its third edition, Louvre Abu Dhabi invited artists to respond to the theme of Transparencies, by proposing original sculptures and installations that explore the dynamics of transparency, its material and perceptual significance.

Louvre Abu Dhabi Art Here 2023 will take place beneath the museum's intricate floating dome of light and shade. It will draw on the interplay of shadows, liquid reflections and flashes of permeating sunlight as a starting point. For the first time, the exhibition will take place outdoors and under the dome, offering artists the chance to display their work in an extraordinary museum setting. The exhibition will open to the public in November 2023.

Maya El Khalil, curator of Louvre Abu Dhabi Art Here 2023 said: “The opportunity to present work beneath the Louvre Abu Dhabi's iconic dome is both a privilege and a challenge. This is a masterfully realised space, where the structural perforations, light and shadow, water, and courtyards, have established a distinctive atmosphere. The idea of transparency was initially a response to the interplay of these conditions. The more we considered the concept, the wider the window was open to invite complex and multi-layered ideas of perception, observation and the relationship between the artwork, viewer and their material and social context."

The open call for artists to submit their proposals for Louvre Abu Dhabi Art Here and the Richard Mille Art Prize was closed on 3 July 2023. For the third edition of the Richard Mille Art Prize, the winner will receive a prize of AED220,000+ (USD60,000).