Louvre Abu Dhabi opens the second edition of The Art of Now

Louvre Abu Dhabi and Swiss watch brand Richard Mille have announced the launch of the second edition of “The Art of Now” exhibition. The exhibition, which will be held in the museum gallery until 19 February 2023, will focus on the theme “Icon. My Icon” to show how the concept of the icon interacts with the different practices of contemporary art, and how this opens wide horizons to new artistic perspectives.
Interestingly, “The Art of Now 2022” exhibition, supervised and curated by Reem Fadda, director of the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation, will receive the works of 10 artists from across the Emirates and Gulf Cooperation Council countries have been nominated for the Richard Mille Prize for Art this year and 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 the Louvre Abu Dhabi, commented: “We are 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 showcase their work and reveal their talents, as well as the museum’s enthusiasm to support creativity, dialogue and promote the diversity. The level of offers we have received from all GCC countries is the best evidence of the remarkable artistic energy that abounds in this region.”
In the same context, Peter Harrison, CEO of Richard Mille in Europe, 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 launching to new heights of excellence to uncover 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 Louvre Abu Dhabi, where I expect, in conjunction with the launch of the Art of Now 2022 exhibition and the activities celebrating the 5th anniversary of the museum’s founding, that a new chapter will be written in the record of achievements of the Emirates, countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the wider arts community.
As for Dr. Thoraya Njeim, Director of Collections, Curators and Scientific Research at Louvre Abu Dhabi, said: “The artists’ ability to formulate and interpret the concepts of ‘icon’ and ‘iconic’ is astonishingly 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 is done 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 both artists and the public to really explore the concepts of ‘icon and iconic’, as art is a very powerful tool that we can use to strengthen connections between different cultures, times and places, and it is an honor for us to witness how these artists have creatively interacted with these works to tell their rich and diverse stories.
Courtesy of judgment
A 5-member jury selected the artists nominated to win the award, they are: His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, President of the “AM Unlimited” platform, a major art collector and patron of the Center Pompidou, the British Museum and the Sharjah Art Foundation, as well as 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 Dabi 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 the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
The judging panel will select the winner of the Richard Mille Art Prize from among the nominated artists and announce their name at the ceremony, scheduled for 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 fifth anniversary celebrations and coincides with the cultural season activities in the Emirates, which includes the participation of the Abu Dhabi Art Gallery, as well as the organization of new exhibitions in the New York University Abu Dhabi art gallery, Dubai Design Week and the Art Dubai exhibition.
Interestingly, the opening of this exhibition focuses on the cultural diversity of the Emirates, which allows communities to discover the local art scene and underlines the country’s commitment to fostering creativity.