Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Swiss watchmaking brand, Richard Mille, announced the launch of the second edition of the “The Art of Now” exhibition. The exhibition, which is scheduled to be held in the gallery of the museum until February 19, 2023, will focus on the theme “Icon. My Icon” to show how the concept of the icon interacts with the various practices of contemporary art, and how this opens wide horizons for new artistic perspectives.
It is noteworthy that the exhibition “The Art of Now 2022”, which is supervised and curated by Reem Fadda, Director of the Cultural Foundation in Abu Dhabi, will receive the works of 10 artists from across the Emirates and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries who were nominated for the Richard Mille Prize for Art this year, and they are: Afra Al Dhaheri, Ayman Zidani Dana Awartani, Elizabeth Dorazio, Manal Al Dowayan, Rand Abdul Jabbar, Simrin Mehra Agarwal, Sheikha Al Mazroua, Vikram Devsha, Zainab Al Hashemi.
In this regard, Manuel Rabate, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, commented: “We feel very proud; We are honored to open the second edition of the Art of Now exhibition at Louvre Abu Dhabi. As the first international museum to be established on Arab soil, Louvre Abu Dhabi strives to be a platform for artists to display their work and reveal their talents, in addition to the museum’s keenness to support creativity, dialogue and promote diversity. The level of offers that we have received from all over the GCC countries is the best proof of the distinguished artistic energy that abounds in this region.”
In the same context, Peter Harrison, CEO of Richard Mille in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said: “An embodiment of the company’s dedication to promoting the highest ideals of art and innovation, this year’s edition of the Richard Mille Art Prize will launch towards new levels of excellence in order to It reveals new spaces and perspectives in the world of contemporary art. The countries of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf are home to one of the richest and most nuanced art scenes in the world. My Icon” at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, where I expect, coinciding with the launch of the 2022 Art of Now exhibition, and the activities celebrating the fifth anniversary of the museum’s founding, that a new chapter will be written in the record of the achievements of the Emirates, the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and the wider artistic community.
As for Dr. Thoraya Njeim, Director of Collections, Curators and Scientific Research at Louvre Abu Dhabi, said: “The ability of the artists to formulate and interpret the concepts of ‘icon’ and ‘iconic’ is astoundingly accurate, and we are very pleased. We present this exhibition to the public as part of our celebrations of the museum’s fifth anniversary, and this comes in the context of our firm commitment to create a platform for regional artists to express their creativity. This exhibition is a wonderful opportunity for artists and audiences alike to really explore the concepts of “icon and iconic”, as art is a very powerful tool that we can use to strengthen the connections between different cultures, times and places, and it is an honor for us to witness how these artists creatively interacted with these works To tell their rich and diverse stories.
Judgement comity
A jury consisting of 5 members selected the nominated artists to win the award, they are: His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, President of the “A.M. Unlimited” platform, a major art collector and patron of the Center Pompidou, the British Museum and the Sharjah Art Foundation, in addition to Murad Nizami, curator, art historian, publisher, and director of the Zaman Foundation for Books and Museums Trust; Hala Wardeh, architect of HW Architects and partner of Jean Nouvel who led the Louvre Abu Dhabi project; friendship. Soraya Njeim, and Reem Fadda, Director of the Cultural Foundation at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and coordinator of the Art of Now 2022 exhibition at Louvre Abu Dhabi.
The jury will select the winner of the Richard Mille Art Prize from among the nominated artists, and will announce his name at the ceremony, which is scheduled to take place in early 2023, where the winner will receive a cash prize of $60,000.
The Art of Now 2022 exhibition will be held at Louvre Abu Dhabi as part of the museum’s celebrations of its fifth anniversary, and coincides with the activities of the cultural season in the Emirates, which includes the participation of the Abu Dhabi Art Gallery, in addition to holding new exhibitions in the art gallery at New York University Abu Dhabi, Dubai Design Week, and the Art Dubai exhibition. .
It is noteworthy that the opening of this exhibition focuses on the cultural diversity of the Emirates, which enables communities to discover the local art scene, and highlights the country’s commitment to promoting creativity.
