Abu Dhabi Makes Waves With Its First Major Art Biennale
By: Masha Lukovenko / Arab America Contributing Writer
Public Art Abu Dhabi unveiled its first installation, a multimedia piece called WAVE by the Seoul-based collective district. Abu Dhabi is the latest city aiming to put itself on the contemporary art map with the launch of a new biennale this year centered on public art.
With the opening of a new biennial focused on public art next year, Abu Dhabi is the most recent city looking to establish itself as a major player in the contemporary art scene. The Emirate’s Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) provides an annual $35 million package to fund Public Art Abu Dhabi, which includes the new biennale, which goes by the name Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial. Galit Eilat, an independent curator, and Reem Fadda, the director of Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation and Abu Dhabi Cultural Programs, will curate the biennial.
According to Fadda, this particular biennial will stand out in a crowded calendar of events because of the public art component. “You’re going to see art as you go through the city. The work that the Department of Culture and Tourism has been conducting is unknown to the public. For instance, a ten-year effort called Urban Treasures has involved cataloging the city’s modern heritage features, such as its architecture, tiny cafes, and historic stores. What stays permanent in the city after the biennial is a topic of discussion. “Once we get into projects that are permanent, that’s a different discussion and that also requires certain guidelines and conservation,” Fadda says. “We’re not flooding the city suddenly with hundreds of public sculpture,” adding that discussion will involve “community stakeholders” as well as “governmental and private stakeholders”.
The biennial is intended to complement other important art events in the area, such the renowned Sharjah Biennial. “The main idea is that, by examining what Sharjah and other Saudi cities like Riyadh have been doing, we are definitely expanding on the regional offering.” Our goal is to balance these out. Manar Abu Dhabi, a platform for light works (the Arabic word manar means “light” or “guiding light”) is another feature of Public Art Abu Dhabi. Fadda says: “It’s a yearly platform of light with various activations culminating in a six-week presentation. This particular platform is specific to Abu Dhabi itself as a city. People don’t realise this but it’s an archipelago. People don’t think about Abu Dhabi in these terms. It has such a beautiful natural landscape. It’ll be a light project that reflects the beautiful vista of Abu Dhabi through the lens of art.”
A third strand of Public Art Abu Dhabi consists of a number of yearly “direct commissions” that are placed in various urban sites throughout the city. “We have specific art projects in mind for the tunnels, roundabouts, corniche side, and highly public arena. These projects also have a higher permanence factor in terms of direct commissioning,” adds Fadda. Emirati artists will not be the only ones to receive commissions. “Abu Dhabi has always taken great pride in its commitment to the Global South, as well as to its own artists and other regional artists.” However, we’re global in scope and have consistently engaged artists from throughout the globe,” she adds.
She stresses also that for the past 14 years Abu Dhabi has been “shaping and driving silently” the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi which is due to open on Saadiyat Island in 2026. “I’ve been involved with [the Guggenheim] for the past 14 years, building the contemporary art collection. The Public Art Biennial and larger public art initiative are the cherry on the top.”
“Having worked with Reem in the past, I am excited and proud to embark on the new ambitious curatorial project together,” said Galit Eilat, co-curator of the Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial. In keeping with its purpose to include artists from all over the world, the Biennial will commission and display a vibrant, inclusive, and varied collection of artists rooted in the UAE and the surrounding region. Among the other projects is Manar Abu Dhabi, a platform for public art that showcases light art installations and sculptures throughout Abu Dhabi’s mangroves and archipelagos. Visitors will experience an exciting aquatic trip and gain new insight into the artworks.
The exhibition aims to promote Abu Dhabi’s natural beauty and link the coastlines of many islands. A fantastical and dreamlike perspective on the surrounding landscapes will be created by the diverse range of artworks, which will include light projections, sculptures, installations, and performances.
Source: The Art Newspaper
Check out Arab America’s blog here!