His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has visited art collective teamLab’s studios in Japan to have a first look at the experimentation for the interactive artworks to be featured in teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi. The upcoming art space, announced earlier this year by DCT Abu Dhabi and Miral, will offer visitors unparalleled multi-sensory experiences year-round.
teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi will be the future home of curiosity in Abu Dhabi, welcoming visitors from around the world to stimulate imagination and creativity through immersive experiences based on teamLab's new concept, Environmental Phenomena. teamLab, the interdisciplinary art collective, will unveil artworks that do not exist on their own, but rather created by the phenomena produced by their environment. Natural elements like air, water, and light are transformed by their environment into unique phenomena that become works of art.
Following the highly successful teamLab Phenomena pop-up exhibition at Mamsha Al Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi earlier this year, a survey of almost 17,000 visitors showed that 98% of Abu Dhabi residents and guests were more curious about the full teamLab Phenomena experience and the future of the innovate installations. Building on that positive momentum, the DCT Abu Dhabi Chairman visited the teamLab Planets museum in Tokyo and teamLab’s outdoor museum in an ancient forest in Kyushu followed by a guided tour of the teamLab development studios in Tokyo, Japan.
Commenting on the visit, HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak said: “Sitting at the intersection of art, technology, nature, and high-tech fantasy, teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi will offer a world of limitless wonder and creativity. We look beyond ‘impossible’ to expand our horizons and push boundaries to better connect with each other.
“We are committed to inspiring a new generation of innovators in Abu Dhabi and the world, in addition to creating cultural experiences and narrating our stories, similarities, and differences - we believe in the diversity of our artistic expression,” he added.
Located in the city’s Saadiyat Cultural District – which is already home to the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the upcoming Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and additional entities for arts, culture, and heritage – the construction of the 17,000 sqm building is due to be completed in 2024. The experiential space has been designed from both the inside-out and the outside-in, meaning the structure is designed around the installation, enhancing the overall experience.
Toshiyuki Inoko, Founder of teamLab, said: “At teamLab Phenomena, visitors will be immersed in a world that organically changes and evolves through the participation and actions of the people in it, and it is precisely this physical experience that can expand our senses of value.”
The construction of teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi reaffirms DCT Abu Dhabi’s vision to welcome the world to the UAE capital, connecting cultures and inspiring generations to embark on journeys of creativity and discovery. In doing so, DCT Abu Dhabi is positioning the emirate as an international hub for arts and innovation, as well as a globally renowned centre of talent.
For more information on the forthcoming teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, check out the official website: visitabudhabi.ae/campaign/teamlab.
