Louvre Abu Dhabi announces calendar of exhibitions for 2025-2026 season
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)Louvre Abu Dhabi's 2025-2026 season will showcase an ambitious lineup of exhibitions that span centuries and continents, bringing together diverse artistic traditions and perspectives. Focusing on historical legacies, contemporary expressions, and groundbreaking collaborations, the upcoming season reinforces the museum's role as a hub for cultural dialogue and artistic discovery.The season will open with Mamluks: Legacy of an Empire, organised in partnership with the Musée du Louvre and the French Muséums. It offers a deep dive into the powerful Mamluk dynasty and its cultural influence across vast territories.Following this, Art Here 2025 and the Richard Mille Art Prize, in partnership with Richard Mille, will highlight the works of contemporary artists based in the GCC and Japan, as well as artists based in the MENA region and connected to the GCC. A major highlight of the season, Picasso, the Figure, organised in partnership with Musée national Picasso-Paris and France Muséums, will explore Picasso's revolutionary approach to the human form, tracing his engagement with mythological, surrealist, and classical themes throughout his career.Manuel Rabaté, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, said: "Louvre Abu Dhabi's exhibitions embody our commitment to offering visitors enriching and inspiring experiences." He added, "This season, we are proud to present a compelling dialogue between Eastern and Western artistic traditions, showcasing masterpieces that celebrate cultural heritage and innovation. Through these exhibitions, we reaffirm the museum's role as a space for meaningful exchange, fostering a deeper appreciation of artistic expression across different cultures and time periods."Dr. Guilhem André, Director of Scientific, Curatorial, and Collections Management at Louvre Abu Dhabi, said: "We aim to offer a space where art serves as a bridge between cultures, inviting visitors to engage with diverse artistic traditions and perspectives from ancient worlds to contemporary periods. These exhibitions will provide a unique opportunity to explore the connections between different movements and histories, deepening our collective appreciation of creativity and shared human stories."
Mamluk Sultanate Heritage Mamluks: Legacy of an Empire (September 17, 2025 to January 25, 2026) explores the rich heritage of the Mamluk Sultanate (1250–1517), a powerful dynasty that ruled for over two and a half centuries. The sultanate controlled a vast expanse of territory, including Egypt, Bilad al-Sham (modern-day Levant), a small part of Eastern Anatolia (modern-day Turkey), and the Hejaz (modern-day Saudi Arabia), which encompassed the most significant Islamic holy sites.Jointly curated by Dr Souraya Noujaim, Director of the Department of Islamic Arts at Musée du Louvre, and Dr. Carine Juvin, Curator, Medieval Near and Middle East, Department of Islamic Arts at Musée du Louvre, with the support of Fakhera Alkindi, Senior Curatorial Assistant at Louvre Abu Dhabi, the exhibition offers a comprehensive exploration of the diverse Mamluk society through a remarkable selection of objects. The exhibition also highlights the Mamluks' role as active participants in a vast network of international exchanges linking Europe, Africa, and Asia.Key highlights on loan from Musée du Louvre include Reception of a Venetian Delegation by the Mamluk Governor of Damascus, 1500-1540 and Baptistery of Saint Louis (Syria or Egypt, c. 1330–1340), an exceptional masterpiece that epitomises the height of Mamluk artistry and continues to be a symbol of cultural exchange and artistic achievement, reflecting the enduring legacy of the Mamluk dynasty. Also featured is a notable piece from Louvre Abu Dhabi's collection: Carpet Decorated with Three Medallions, produced in Egypt in the second half of the 15th century.
Art Prize Louvre Abu Dhabi Art Here 2025 and the Richard Mille Art Prize (October 8, 2025 to December 28, 2025), will see the fifth edition of Louvre Abu Dhabi Art Here, in partnership with Swiss luxury watchmaker Richard Mille, is currently accepting proposals from contemporary artists based in the GCC and Japan, as well as artists based in MENA and connected to the GCC. Curated by Swiss Japanese curator Sophie Mayuko Arni, this year's theme, Shadows, explores the interplay of light and darkness, drawing inspiration from Japanese and Arabian Gulf artistic traditions. The exhibition invites contemporary artists to reimagine these influences through site-specific monumental works, reflecting on how shadow and light shape architectural and cultural narratives. Works by the shortlisted artists will be displayed in the Art Here 2025 exhibition starting in October, and of these, one outstanding artist will be awarded the prestigious Richard Mille Art Prize in December 2025.
Exploring Picasso's Works Picasso, the Figure (January19 to May 31, 2026) in partnership with the Musée national Picasso-Paris and France Muséums, Picasso, the Figure explores Pablo Picasso's evolving depiction of the figure and encompasses various techniques such as painting, sculpture, and drawing. Featuring key works from the early 1900s to his later years, the exhibition highlights how Picasso redefined shape, expression, and meaning, revolutionising modern art. Jointly curated by Cécile Debray, President of Musée national Picasso-Paris, Virginie Perdrisot, Chief Curator and Head of Sculpture, Ceramics and Giacometti Furniture at Musée national Picasso-Paris, and Aisha AlAhmadi, Curatorial Assistant at Louvre Abu Dhabi, the show offers a rare insight into the artist's continuous experimentation with the human form across different periods of his career.Key highlights include paintings by Picasso from Louvre Abu Dhabi's collection, such as Woman with a Mandolin (Miss Léonie seated), dating to 1911, and Portrait of a Seated Woman (Olga), dating to 1923, in addition to loans from Musée national Picasso-Paris such as Woman Sitting in Front of the Window, dating to 1937.
In addition to these major exhibitions, Louvre Abu Dhabi will host a dynamic range of cultural and educational programmes, a new immersive experience, and events designed to foster curiosity, engagement and dialogue. The 2025 – 2026 season at Louvre Abu Dhabi is set to be a celebration of creativity, cultural exchange, and artistic exploration.
Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi
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