Abu Dhabi:
Where art is a
way of life
With major museums and institutions making their home in the emirate, a thriving cultural scene is blooming in the UAE capital
I came to Abu Dhabi as an undergraduate at New York University,” says Tala Nassar, Associate Director of Curatorial Projects at New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Art Gallery, and a native of Jordan.
Like many artists and curators, she was initially attracted by the major art museums and institutions that form the basis of Abu Dhabi’s cultural scene. But having arrived, Nassar says she, “really fell in love with the city. I haven’t been able to leave since.”
Her story encapsulates the journey Abu Dhabi has been on since it signed the historic cultural partnership with France in 2007 that led to the opening of the Jean Nouvel-designed Louvre Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island in 2017.
The presence of such an internationally lauded institution, soon to be joined by several others, acts as a magnet for artists and connoisseurs alike. But they stay for the flourishing community.
Building a global art scene in Abu Dhabi
“Abu Dhabi is quickly becoming a hub for arts and culture through international and local institutions like the NYU Art Gallery, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Warehouse 421 and the Cultural Foundation,” says Nassar.
Many of these institutions are clustered in Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Cultural District, which will soon see the addition of the Zayed National Museum, the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. These spaces will widen the conduit for national and international art to come to the city, but their presence also supports the wider growth of Abu Dhabi’s own artistic community.
“Abu Dhabi has a very creative and diverse art scene,” says Nassar. “There are a lot of institutions that allow emerging artists and curators to experiment and exhibit their work.”
Her own NYUAD project space makes room for emerging artists to exhibit their works. The Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation has a range of exhibition spaces, including a children’s library designed to introduce the city’s youngest inhabitants to art. Warehouse 421 showcases creative work from the region, as well as offering residencies and training programs.
The emirate offers direct support, too. One example is Abu Dhabi Art’s ‘Emerging’ program. Three Emirati artists are chosen annually to participate in a year-long mentorship program, culminating with a major exhibition at the Abu Dhabi Art Fair.
New York University Abu Dhabi Art Gallery
New York University Abu Dhabi Art Gallery
“You have a diverse range of institutions that are welcoming and supporting both established and experimental artists,” says Nassar. In doing so, these institutions do more than import art from abroad, they provide a platform for art and creativity that is unique to the region.
Nurturing a unique perspective
Emirati artists have a unique perspective to offer, says Nassar, both in mining the region’s rich artistic history, and in evolving new approaches. “It’s really great to see artists in the UAE and Arab world experimenting with media, creating art that’s relevant to their own cultures and their own histories,” she says.
New York University Abu Dhabi Art Gallery
New York University Abu Dhabi Art Gallery
Part of that evolution is embracing the multiculturalism of cities like Abu Dhabi. There are over 200 nationalities living and working in the UAE, which Nassar believes offers a kaleidoscope of perspectives from which to draw inspiration.
“There are people from all over the world, drawing from different environments. It creates this unique culture,” says Nassar. It’s a melting pot supported by the recently launched Creative Visa scheme that offers long-term visas to individuals working in the media and arts.
Unique outdoor experiences
Another defining characteristic of Emirati art, says Nassar, is blending, “the modern and the traditional, to create a culture that is unique to the UAE.”
The upcoming Zayed National Museum will provide a window into that culture, exploring the evolution of Abu Dhabi and the UAE. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Lord Norman Foster, it will host education initiatives and discussion alongside exhibitions, and galleries inspired by the nation’s founding father and regional icon – the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who was instrumental in building the contemporary UAE.
The artistic merger of old and new isn’t confined to galleries and museums. Nassar says it is an influence that surrounds artists living and working in the city.
“You can’t separate the arts from life,” says Nassar. “I love walking by the Mina port and looking at the old ships where fishermen would go and dive in search for pearls. And I also love going to Saadiyat where I can go to the Louvre Abu Dhabi and other cultural institutions.”
An inspiring city
This vibrant diversity of people, places, and culture offers any kind of lifestyle you could ask for, too. From the bustling city center to the quiet suburbs. From world-class galleries to Olympic-standard sports facilities. From an exhilarating nightlife to relaxed cafes.
But perhaps the most inspiring aspect of the city is the people. Nassar says everyone is, “warm and welcoming – no matter where you’re from, what you look like, or what you do for a living.”
New York University Abu Dhabi Art Gallery
New York University Abu Dhabi Art Gallery
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