Louvre Abu Dhabi reveals international jury panel and shortlisted artists for Art Here 2024 and The Richard Mille Art Prize

Louvre Abu Dhabi and Swiss watchmaking brand Richard Mille have announced the jury and shortlisted artists for the fourth edition of the annual exhibition and competition, Art Here 2024 and the Richard Mille Art Prize, which aims to support the region’s art scene by empowering local and regional artists, offering them a prominent platform to display their work and expand their creativity.

The jury for this year’s edition, now expanded to include North Africa alongside the Gulf Region, is comprised of distinguished members from diverse backgrounds in the cultural world, each bringing a unique perspective to the selection process.

The jury will include Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, 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, in addition to Guilhem André, Scientific Curatorial and Collection Management Director at Louvre Abu Dhabi, a seasoned museum professional, and art historian.

New jury members include Simon Njami, independent curator, lecturer, art critic and novelist who has curated numerous international exhibitions spotlighting African and non-Western contemporary artists; Nujoom Alghanem, an Emirati poet, artist and multi-award-winning film director; and Maya Allison, the founding Director of the Art Gallery and Chief Curator at New York University Abu Dhabi.

This year, Louvre Abu Dhabi and guest curator Simon Njami invited artists to respond to the theme Awakenings. The shortlisted artists are tasked with translating the concept of openness into visual forms. Openness signifies beginnings, where possibilities are available at any given moment, and implies the choices and decisions that lead to the direction one chooses to follow. The shortlisted artists will produce sculptures or audio-visual installations that address questions of today and the near future.

Manuel Rabaté, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, said: “We are delighted to acknowledge our esteemed partnership with Richard Mille for the fourth year, bringing together a distinguished international jury. This collaboration enables the museum to continuously innovate and present new, creative themes, such as Awakenings, inviting artists to engage in and translate the concept of openness into visual forms. Notably, for the first time, our open call extended to North Africa, underscoring our dedication to expanding to new geographies, and we are happy to produce and display the artworks of five shortlisted artists. This initiative reaffirms our commitment to enriching the region’s cultural ecosystem and our mission to narrate stories from diverse cultures around the globe.”

This year's edition has attracted submissions from various artists residing across the UAE, the Gulf Region, North Africa, and beyond. Works by five artists from the UAE, Tunisia, and Egypt have been shortlisted from 230 total submissions to feature in the 2024 Art Here exhibition.

Férielle Doulain-Zouari, a Franco-Tunisian artist, utilises installations, sculptures, and weavings to explore the coexistence of natural and artificial worlds. Lamya Gargash is an Emirati artist who focuses on inhabited and abandoned spaces, delving into cultural heritage amidst modernisation. Egyptian artist Moataz Nasr investigates the notion of identity and belonging in a world of globalisation, probing into the geopolitics and social development of Egypt and Africa. Sarah Almehairi from Abu Dhabi focuses on language, materiality, and memory, using geometric shapes to unfold narratives. Nicène Kossentini from Tunisia uses video to capture the transformation of people, revealing intimate places and bodies and uncovering truths of her heritage. The artists' works will be showcased at Louvre Abu Dhabi from 20 September 2024, each competing for the Richard Mille Art Prize and its accompanying AED220,380 (US$60,000) cash award.

Peter Harrison, CEO of Richard Mille EMEA, said: "With the fourth edition of the Richard Mille Art Prize, I am thrilled to see our expansion into the North African region, a new frontier of artistic expression. The jury, selected by our esteemed partner, Louvre Abu Dhabi, will once again challenge and inspire our chosen artists. The 2024 Richard Mille Art Prize will showcase a diverse array of cross-cultural dialogues, highlighting the region's rich societal tapestry and the transformative power of art. I eagerly anticipate the creations of our five selected artists, which will be exhibited under the Louvre Abu Dhabi dome for the 2024 Art Here exhibit."

Simon Njami, Curator of Louvre Abu Dhabi Art Here 2024, said: "I am honoured to curate and join the jury for this year’s Art Here and The Richard Mille Art Prize. 'Awakenings' is a powerful theme that challenges artists to delve into moments of change, revelation, and transformation. My career has been dedicated to unveiling new voices in contemporary art, and I look forward to discovering how artists from the GCC and North Africa interpret this concept and express their unique perspectives through their art."

Art Here 2024 will take place under Louvre Abu Dhabi's dome. The visitor journey will begin around the courtyard with the Damascene fountain and extend via a passageway towards a meditative shallow pool and the public art wall installation by Jenny Holzer.