Latest news with #ManaratAlSaadiyat
Korea Herald
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Six decades of Korean contemporary art unfold in UAE's largest showcase
'Layered Medium: We Are in Open Circuits' runs through June 30 at Manarat Al Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi The history and evolution of Korea's contemporary art scene is now on view in the United Arab Emirates through the most extensive presentation to date in the Gulf Cooperation Council region. Titled 'Layered Medium: We Are In Open Circuits,' the exhibition opened Friday at Manarat Al Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi, featuring 48 works by 29 Korean artists and spanning the 1960s to the present. All works are part of the Seoul Museum of Art's collection, and the exhibition was co-curated by UK-based independent curator Maya El Khalil and Yeo Kyung-hwan of SeMA. 'Works from the Seoul Museum of Art's collection that may have carried specific cultural resonance in Seoul could become more abstract or universal here, while other dimensions of this location surface new meanings,' said El Khalil. 'This transfer is not a loss but a transformation, where different depths of connection become possible.' Visitors will encounter works by pioneering experimental artists Park Hyun-ki and Lee Kun-yong; internationally acclaimed multimedia artists Kim Ayoung and Jun So-jung; and leading interdisciplinary figures such as Lee Bul and Haegue Yang. The exhibition traces key moments in Korea's contemporary art history, beginning with the radical experimentation of the 1960s and 1970s, when artists began working with video, photography and performance. Highlights include Paik Nam-june's 'Self-Portrait Dharma Wheel,' Park Hyun-ki's 'TV Fishbowl' and 'Video Inclining Water.' Also featured are works that examine the body and sensory perception as tools for understanding the world, including Lee Kun-yong's 'The Method of Drawing: Body Drawing 76-2' and Oh Min's 'Etude for Etude (Music Performance).' Organized as part of a three-year institutional partnership between SeMA and the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, the exhibition underscores six decades of Korea's media art history while fostering cultural dialogue with the UAE. 'This historic exhibition showcases the evolution of Korea's media art scene over six decades, as well as its interaction with the artistic landscape of the UAE,' said Huda Alkhamis-Kanoo, founder of ADMAF. 'Under the joint curation of SeMA's Kyung-hwan Yeo and Maya El Khalil, it also highlights the pioneering figures whose innovation and creativity have helped define what contemporary art is today.' An accompanying publication, "Layered Dialogues," will include essays by UAE-based writers, further contextualizing the exhibition through a local lens. 'Layered Medium: We Are In Open Circuits' runs through June 30 in Abu Dhabi. A second co-curated exhibition, 'Intense Proximities,' will follow in December at the SeMA, showcasing three generations of UAE-based artists from the 1980s to the present. In addition to the exhibitions, the SeMA–ADMAF collaboration includes co-commissioned artworks, artist residencies, performances and film screenings in both Abu Dhabi and Seoul.
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
Al Etihad
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Etihad
Abu Dhabi meets Seoul in avant-garde exhibition that shows human connections in tech evolution
15 May 2025 22:11 SARA AL ZAABI (ABU DHABI)South Korea's capital Seoul is bringing distinctive cultural narratives to Abu Dhabi in an avant-garde exhibition that traces how technology has shaped human connections - even before the internet "Layered Medium: We Are in Open Circuits - Contemporary Art from Korea, 1960s to Today", the exhibition opens today and runs until June 30 at Manarat Al Saadiyat. The art show, organised through collaboration between Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF) and Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA), marks the first phase in a three-year institutional partnership between the UAE and South works by 29 artists will go on display in the exhibition that winds its way through six decades of Korea's avant-garde art, exploring ideas of identity, memory, tradition, and modernity. Drawn from SeMA's collection, the art show extracts themes that can "tell certain narratives of the development of experimental art and new media in Korea", curator Maya El Khalil told Aletihad . Presenting these Korean narratives in Abu Dhabi makes the exhibition even more interesting, El Khaili said, as the emirate is bound to have "a different reading" of these materials. Abu Dhabi and Seoul both have distinctive cultures but tying them together is a common approach to development. Both cities, El Khaili said, remain "rooted in the importance of tradition and identity" while embracing Kyung-hwan Yeo described the exhibition as a dialogue between Abu Dhabi and Seoul, exploring their cultural connections and differences."We tried to find a way to present the reason and the purpose, to ask authentic questions: Why do we need to explore similarities and differences? Do we face the same future or different futures?"Yeo added: "This exhibition wants to show and raise questions together. We are part of the communication, part of one family in a bigger perspective."This concept of "open circuits" represents communication as an ongoing, two-way exchange, El Khaili said. "We should be in a state of communication where the flow is not a one-way flow. It is like we are all part of this conversation." Social Ladders Explaining another common denominator for the two cultures, Yeo noted the shared artistic struggles of Emirati and Korean artists navigating tradition and modernity."It is exactly the same situation; how to combine the traditional and contemporary," she said. Byungjun Kwon's Dancing Ladders (2022 Reactivated: 2025), for example, challenges the notion of social ladders. It features metal contraptions moving along tracks laid down on the ground - showing some work in progress and "transmitted stress" from the old machinery to new robots. "Young people feel pressure to climb the social ladder… But this artwork transforms that hierarchy. The riders move horizontally, not vertically… a new way of thinking, a new way of living," Yeo said. "We are really complicated and layered - not fixed. We keep moving. And in this kind of movement, we can make a circuit and move together," she said.
CairoScene
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
‘Layered Medium' Exhibit Brings Six Decades of Korean Art to Abu Dhabi
The Manarat Al Saadiyat exhibit runs until June 30th, marking the first major showcase of Korean contemporary art in the Gulf. May 11, 2025 Abu Dhabi's Manarat Al Saadiyat is set to host 'Layered Medium: We Are in Open Circuits', the first large-scale showcase of Korean contemporary art in the Gulf region. Running from May 16th to June 30th, 2025, the exhibit is a collaborative effort between the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF) and the Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA). Co-curated by SeMA's Kyung-hwan Yeo and independent curator Maya El Khalil, the exhibition features 48 works by 29 Korean artists, including pioneers like Nam June Paik and Park Hyunki, as well as contemporary figures such as Lee Bul, Haegue Yang, Ayoung Kim, and Moka Lee. The exhibition explores the evolution of Korea's avant-garde art scene over six decades, highlighting how artists have responded to social and technological changes. The exhibition's title, inspired by Nam June Paik's phrase 'We Are in Open Circuits,' reflects its focus on the medium as a system of communication. Visitors will encounter a diverse range of media, from early experiments in video and performance to immersive installations and digital simulations, offering insights into how media shapes perception, memory, and connection. Designed by the acclaimed studio Formafantasma, the exhibition space enhances the thematic exploration of media and communication. A dynamic public programme, including panel talks, screenings, and performances, will accompany the exhibition. Notably, on May 16th, a curatorial discussion featuring Kyung-hwan Yeo, Maya El Khalil, and artists Byungjun Kwon and Goen Choi will delve into the exhibition's conceptual framework. 'Layered Medium: We Are in Open Circuits' is open daily from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM at Manarat Al Saadiyat. Admission is free, and further details about the public programme are available online.
Mail & Guardian
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Mail & Guardian
Angélique Kidjo still sings with purpose
All Hail Angélique!: At the age of 64, the Beninese-French singer-songwriter Angélique Kidjo lives joyfully, performs powerfully and gives relentlessly. Photo: Patrick Fouque It's the first day of the Abu Dhabi Culture Summit and I am sitting, along with about 100 other people, in the main auditorium of the Manarat Al Saadiyat in the capital of the United Arab Emirates for a special performance. The one and only Angélique Kidjo is here. On a small stage on the right of the circular auditorium, the legendary Beninese-French singer-songwriter speaks to the CEO of The Recording Academy Harvey Mason Jr about her music and impact. But this is just a precursor for what we have all come to see. It's not long before Kidjo springs to her feet and launches into a medley of some of her greatest hits — with the support of Togolese guitarist Amen Viana and French-Lebanese trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf. At first, the crowd is dead quiet, observing the performance as though they aren't witnessing one of the finest musicians Africa has ever produced. 'Are we in a library or a concert?' I wonder out loud. But it's a summit that has far more panel discussions and keynote speeches on the programme than it does music performances, so I shouldn't be surprised that everybody is taking themselves way too seriously. Kidjo isn't deterred. She performs with the energy and vitality of a rollicking sold-out show, her voice soaring and, slowly but surely, she shakes the audience out of its slumber. Enticing us into a call-and-response, initially only a handful heed the invitation to collaborate on her choruses but, gradually, more and more voices join in the celebration and the volume of the music grows. As the sound rises, people rise to their feet. Now we're talking. It takes only 10 minutes to go from folded arms and solemn faces to hand clapping, feet stomping, rhythm swaying and chanting in harmony. Kidjo is singing at the top of her voice, and moving with the careless abandon of a woman who knows joy — pure, unfiltered, boundless joy. That's the reason that she can still perform with such vitality at 64 years of age and still tours, performing at venues across the world. 'Performing is the thing I like the most,' she tells me. 'I don't like studios. I mean, to me, the studio is a way to get on tour. 'That's what I grew up doing. I started singing on stage at six years old, so I got the virus for performing early.' In a few hours, she'll get on a plane to New York to perform at the hallowed concert venue Carnegie Hall. But, for a few precious minutes, I get to speak to Kidjo in her backstage dressing room alongside Jean Hebrail, her husband and musical collaborator of over 40 years. The impact of her music has spanned generations and earned her accolades including five Grammy awards. But perhaps even more impressive is the list of fellow musicians she's collaborated with which includes Carlos Santana, Peter Gabriel, Alicia Keys, Branford Marsalis, Herbie Hancock, Josh Groban and Ziggy Marley. Hebrail shows me a video clip of Kidjo performing with Mama Africa herself, the late great Miriam Makeba, at a concert in 2006. The image of the two icons joyously singing Makeba's classic song Malaika is magical. Yes, Ms Kidjo is loved across the world — but she belongs to Africa first and foremost. 'If I was not born in Africa, I don't think I would be the artist I am,' she says. 'I never deny the place where I am from. We have our issues. We have our problems. But I was born in Africa for a reason. And that reason, I don't know. 'I'm just proud of who I am. Everywhere I go, every time I'm on stage, I always stand knowing where I come from and carrying the African continent on my shoulders.' More recently, Kidjo has collaborated with younger artists like Burna Boy, Mr Eazi, Yemi Alade, EarthGang and Blue Lab Beats. I ask her how these collaborations — which run the gamut from Nigerian Afrobeats artists to a British jazz duo and an Atlanta-based hip-hop group — came about. 'I'm always listening to music and keeping my ear out for new artists that excite me,' she says. 'Sometimes I receive a DM and I say, 'Okay, let's do this. Send me the song.' 'It's always about the song. How is the song we're making going to help us tell a compelling story that's going to outlive us? A story that's going to form part of the heritage of the next generation. I'm always available for any young artist that wants to do something compelling but you have to work hard because I won't work with you if your song isn't good and if it's not going to lift you up to the next level. 'I'm not doing stuff to please you. I'm doing it because I want you to elevate yourself. And when you get there, pass it on to the next generation,' she says. Kidjo is deeply concerned about passing on the knowledge and wisdom to younger generations and leaving behind a world they can be proud to inherit. No wonder she has done so much work advocating for social issues. She's been a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador for more than 20 years and she founded the Batonga Foundation, a non-profit promoting education and leadership for girls in different parts of Africa. She's been a strong advocate for climate justice, refugee rights and global education; her music has been used in UN campaigns and she has addressed the General Assembly calling for more to be done to reduce child mortality rates. While her contributions as a musician are incredible, Kidjo will be remembered for more than her work as an artist. I ask her what the word 'legacy' means to her. 'Well, I didn't start doing music thinking about legacy or being rich,' she says. 'That was not the core of what I wanted to do. 'When I was a little girl I was taught that, when you are given a gift of voice and song, or whatever gift you're given by nature, if it serves you, you have to use it to serve other people. If it makes you happy, you have to share that happiness with others. 'It's not for me to keep my voice to myself; I need to share it with the largest amount of people I can. So, that was the foundation I started on and that's still how I function today. I am always at the service of a song. My desire is to give something to others, not to keep it to myself. 'So, for me, the word 'legacy' is not something I think about at all because, as long as I still have my health and a voice, and I can go out there and have fun on stage and make people happy, that's my salary. 'That's what gives me the strength to go through horrendous hours of travelling around the world, just to be on that stage …' What lingers most is not just Kidjo's voice, or even her accolades, but the sheer force of spirit she brings to every room she enters. On that stage in Abu Dhabi, she didn't just sing — she ignited something in all of us. She reminded us, through movement and music, that joy is a powerful form of resistance and connection. It's the same joy that has propelled her through over four decades of global touring, collaborations and advocacy, and the same joy she insists on sharing with those she mentors. A woman who knows the meaning of joy — Kidjo does more than merely perform, she rises to the occasion, makes the most of her gifts and selflessly shares her voice with others. In the process, she invites us all to rise with her.
