Latest news with #BassamFreihaArtFoundation
Al Etihad
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Etihad
Saadiyat Island Abu Dhabi celebrates International Museum Day
16 May 2025 23:05 This International Museum Day on Sunday May 18, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, is the ultimate destination for culture ancient artefacts and contemporary exhibitions to immersive digital art and hands-on workshops, there's something to spark visitors' imagination with experiences continuing all month the heart of it all is Louvre Abu Dhabi, offering free entry for UAE residents on May 18 from 10 am to midnight (galleries open until 8.30 pm).Visitors can explore global masterpieces, including Kings and Queens of Africa, a powerful exhibition running until May 25, celebrating the legacy and leadership of African monarchs through art and can drop by the Children's Museum, where Picturing the Cosmos blends art, science and play in a creative space made for young on May 18, art lovers can join the final Drawing at the Museum session (4.30 pm–6.30 pm), where a museum educator leads guests through sketching techniques inspired by the permanent a different kind of brushstroke, Bassam Freiha Art Foundation is hosting a textured art workshop, Art Beyond the Surface, on May 27 at 6 pm. The hands-on session encourages creative exploration through touch, texture and layered technique, no experience needed.A short stroll away, Manarat Al Saadiyat continues to be a vibrant hub for creativity. Its Art Studio offers daily workshops and drop-in sessions for all ages, covering everything from ceramics to a major exhibition in collaboration with the Seoul Museum of Art is on show until June 30, spotlighting Korea's dynamic contemporary art scene through bold themes and boundary-pushing something more experimental? Step into teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, the island's newest immersive art open, this 17,000-square-metre space invites guests to explore 20+ interactive artworks that blur the line between technology, nature and art, where no two visits are the same. Looking ahead, Saadiyat Island continues to shape the future of culture in the region with the much-anticipated arrival of Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum and the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi. These landmark institutions will add even more depth, diversity and global relevance to the island's already rich cultural offering.
Al Etihad
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Etihad
Get your fill of culture, art and history on International Museum Day - for free in the UAE
16 May 2025 00:15 TAARIQ HALIM (ABU DHABI)Sunday, May 18, is International Museum museums around the UAE are inviting you to experience all the history, culture and art they have on offer - for if you haven't gotten around to (or never had the budget) to visit the marvellous museums of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, this Heritage Weekend is your you'll beat the heat with this fun, indoor family the magnificent Louvre Abu Dhabi has been on your to-do list, now's the time to go. On Saturday, 18 May, all UAE residents can enjoy free entry; just produce your valid Emirates ID and prepare to be awe-struck one of the most iconic art collections in the world, here on Saadiyat you're in Dubai this weekend, Expo 2020 Dubai Museum and Garden in the Sky are opening their doors for free access on May 17 and 18. The museum is open from 10am to 8pm, while Garden in the Sky welcomes visitors from 2pm to 10pm.A number of museums around the UAE offer free entry year-round in a bid to promote cultural learning and curiosity, and encourage the residents to interact with fruitful exploration. In Abu Dhabi, Manarat Al Saadiyat, the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation, Abu Dhabi's Heritage Village and the Miraj Islamic Art Centre are excellent options. In Dubai, Jameel Arts Centre is one of the best free sites to visit, as well as the Coffee Museum and the Dubai Police Oqaili House, the home of Saudi-born poet Mubarak bin Hamad Al Oqaili, is a beautiful heritage property dating back to 1923, and now stands as a museum on the edge of Deira's Spice Souk. The home of one of the most important Arabic classical poets in history, the structure was built from coral, stone, plaster, sandalwood, teakwood and the fronds and trunks of palm Sharjah, the Sharjah Art Museum is a hotspot for culture and is a list of all the centres you can visit for free this International Museum Day:Abu Dhabi· Manarat Al Saadiyat – A vibrant art and cultural hub· Cultural Foundation – presents exhibitions and shows· Bassam Freiha Art Foundation – Impressive private collection open to the public· Heritage Village – Step back in time to the ancient Emirates· Miraj Islamic Art Centre – A showcase of art from the Islamic worldDubai· Jameel Arts Centre – Contemporary art by the waterfront· Coffee Museum – A journey through coffee culture· Dubai Police Museum – Requires a permit (apply via Dubai Police website or app)· Al Oqaili House – A poetic heritage home built in 1923, nestled in Deira's Spice SoukSharjah · Sharjah Art Museum – Cornerstone of the region's art scene with rotating exhibitions
The National
08-04-2025
- Business
- The National
Sotheby's exhibition brings $100 million worth of the world's rarest diamonds to Abu Dhabi
It's not every day a jewellery expert uses the word 'mind-blowing,' but that's exactly how Paul Redmayne, Sotheby's senior jewellery specialist for the Middle East, describes the auction house's new exhibition: Beyond: The World's Rarest Diamonds. The show on Wednesday April 9 and Thursday 10 at the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation in Abu Dhabi's Saadiyat Island offers a rare chance to view $100 million worth of extraordinary diamonds. That this exhibition is being held in Abu Dhabi is no coincidence, Redmayne explains. 'GCC clients have been keeping the luxury industry alive for the last 10 generations. We've seen waves of other nationalities coming and going, but the perennial buyer has always been the Middle East buyer.' Visitors can register for guided tours with Sotheby's experts, who will walk them through the significance of each gem on display. Comprising eight stones, including one valued at $20 million, the entire $100 million collection could, in theory, fit in the palm of a hand. 'To have this number of carats in one room is mind-boggling,' says Redmayne. 'These diamonds have never all been in the same room before. You've got the century stones, 100-carat-plus white diamonds, the 100-carat-plus brown-orange, the 40-carat light pink, the 31-carat vivid orangey pink, the 303-carat Golden Canary and of course, the second-largest red [diamond] in the world. It's just mind-blowing.' Among the highlights is that red diamond – officially the second largest yet discovered. 'The largest red diamond in the world is 5.11 carats, and this is 5.05 carats,' says Redmayne. Red diamonds are so rare, he adds, that legendary jeweller Harry Winston never saw one in his lifetime. Seeing this square emerald-cut fancy brown-red diamond is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Also on show is the Mediterranean Blue diamond, a fancy vivid blue stone weighing 10.03 carats with VS2 clarity, considered one of the most important blue diamonds discovered. When it goes to auction in Geneva on May 13, Sotheby's expects it to fetch around $20 million. What makes this stone exceptional is how it 'ticks all the boxes', Redmayne says. Mined in 2023 from the famed Cullinan mine in South Africa, known for producing two diamonds in the British Crown Jewel diamonds, the rough stone was studied for a full year before cutting, to maximise its colour. This exhibition marks the stone's public debut. Only one in 10,000 diamonds qualifies as coloured, and blue is among the rarest. Colour grades range from fancy to intense to fancy vivid, the latter reserved for the most saturated stones. As a fancy vivid blue, the Mediterranean Blue is 'one of the most sought-after and rarest', Redmayne says. 'The clarity, the provenance, the size, and the fact it's a cushion [cut] makes it super desirable.' Cushion cuts, he adds, are always in demand: 'They're harmonious and gentle, with a lovely shape.' Other extraordinary stones in the exhibition include the Desert Rose, a 31.68-carat pear-shaped fancy vivid orange Pink diamond of VVS1 clarity; the Golden Canary necklace, set with a 303.10-carat pear-shaped fancy deep brownish yellow diamond that is internally flawless, and the Ultimate Emerald Cut, a 100.20-carat emerald-cut diamond ring of D colour and Internally Flawless clarity. There is also a 102.60-carat round diamond, D colour and VVS1 clarity; a 40.29-carat radiant-cut fancy light pink diamond and diamond ring of VS2 clarity; and a Cartier necklace in 18k white gold, featuring a 100.26-carat pear-shaped fancy deep brown-orange diamond of I1 clarity. The chance to see such stones assembled is unprecedented, even for experts. 'This is a once-in-a-career moment,' says Redmayne. 'I don't think anyone in the industry has seen all of these stones – this level, this number of century stones – in one exhibition. I can't think of a show where so many 100-plus-carat diamonds have been brought together.'
CairoScene
22-03-2025
- Business
- CairoScene
Ultra-Rare Mediterranean Blue Diamond to Be Unveiled in Abu Dhabi
he Mediterranean Blue, a 10.03-carat blue diamond, will be revealed to the public for the first time at Abu Dhabi's Bassam Freiha Art Foundation before heading to auction in Geneva. Mar 22, 2025 The Mediterranean Blue, an ultra-rare 10.03-carat blue diamond, will make its global debut in Abu Dhabi on April 8th before heading to auction. The unveiling will take place at the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation in the Saadiyat Island Cultural District, marking the first time the public will be able to view the gemstone. Sotheby's, which will auction the Mediterranean Blue at its High Jewellery Sale in Geneva on May 13th, has classified the diamond as Type IIb—a category representing less than 0.5% of all diamonds. This classification places it among the world's most exclusive gemstones. Following its initial exhibition in Abu Dhabi, the Mediterranean Blue will embark on a world tour, with stops in Taipei, Hong Kong and New York, before its final auction in Geneva. The diamond was discovered in 2023 at South Africa's Cullinan Mine, a site renowned for producing some of the world's most valuable blue diamonds. Other notable discoveries from Cullinan include the Blue Moon of Josephine, a 12.03-carat vivid blue diamond that sold for USD 48.5 million at Sotheby's in 2015, and the De Beers Blue, a 15.10-carat step-cut vivid blue diamond that fetched USD 57.5 million in 2022.
FACT
20-03-2025
- Entertainment
- FACT
Bassam Freiha Art Foundation unveils new exhibitions by The Prism
Presented by Stefano Simontacchi, these displays will take you on an out-of-this-world journey. Abu Dhabi's thriving art scene has established the capital as a serious cultural hotspot. Art lovers have plenty of options to explore, from the Louvre Abu Dhabi to the upcoming teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, and now there is one more thing to get excited about. The newly launched Bassam Freiha Art Foundation brings two new exhibitions to Abu Dhabi by renowned Italian artist Stefano Simontacchi. Open until 31 August at Saadiyat Island, Stefano Simontacchi, better known by his artistic name, The Prism is bringing two new works to the capital. Curated by Marco Senaldi, these exhibitions, titled Project Oneness and the other, Trust, Gratitude and Love Journey, will transform light, space, and perception into an immersive journey. Project Oneness will be showcased in three interconnected rooms. The first will shed a spotlight on ideas of duality, perception and humanity's deep connection with the cosmos. You'll then be guided through a space with colour, light and movement and by the time you reach the final room – where elements like water, earth, air, and fire take centre stage – you'll feel that sense of oneness that the artist wants to convey. Next door, you'll find the second part of the journey – the Trust, Gratitude and Love Journey exhibition. Here, the artist explores how embracing these powerful tools – trust, gratitude, and love – can help people align themselves with the energy of the universe. The exhibition uses modern materials and age-old symbols, inviting you to reflect and contemplate your place in the grand scheme of things. For those unversed with Stefano Simontacchi, he is a renowned artist who has built a reputation for creating reflective, light-filled installations that blend art, mindfulness and self-reflection. 'I am immensely excited to bring my works to the beautiful Bassam Freiha Art Foundation,' he said, speaking of his new displays in the capital. 'Based on circular emblems and innovative use of light and space, I want the exhibitions to bring the community of Abu Dhabi closer to art, and help every individual find inner peace.' If you haven't checked it out yet, the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation was founded by His Excellency Bassam Freiha. It's a non-profit cultural hub that aims to foster artistic exchange between communities, showcasing work from both established and emerging talents while offering a range of educational programs. Entry to the venue is absolutely free. GO: Visit for more information.
