DUBAI: The newly-opened Louvre Abu Dhabi on Tuesday welcomed the president of Nepal, who is currently on an official visit to the UAE, to tour the museum with her delegation.
President Bidhya Devi Bhandari was welcomed by Saif Ghobash, director General of the Department of Culture & Tourism in Abu Dhabi and Manuel Rabaté, director of Louvre Abu Dhabi who led her on a tour of the museum’s highlights.
The group paid particular attention to a statue of Maitreya, a Buddha from the Malla dynasty in Nepal dating back to 1100–1200, a statue of Gudea, prince of Lagash from Musée du Louvre, the Winged dragon, a statue of Dancing Shiva and Fountain of Light by renowned Chinese contemporary artist Ai Weiwei.
Visitors to the museum, which opened on Nov. 11, can walk through promenades overlooking the sea underneath the impressive 180-meter dome, comprised of 7,850 unique metal stars set in a complex geometric pattern. Sunlight filters through the meshwork — which, at 7,500 tons, weighs almost as much as the Eiffel Tower — to create speckled shadows on the museum floor, worthy of an exhibit in and of itself.
The space boasts 6,000 square meters of galleries, exhibitions, a Children’s Museum for visitors aged six to 12, a research center, a restaurant, a boutique and a café, making it perfect for a family day out.
Highlights currently on show include a prehistoric stone tool dating back to 350,000 BCE, a milestone indicating the distance from Makkah in Kufic inscriptions, and a funerary stele from Makkah dating back to 700–900 CE from the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage.
Nepal’s president tours Louvre Abu Dhabi with her delegation
Nepal’s president tours Louvre Abu Dhabi with her delegation
Art Basel Qatar reveals details ahead of inaugural 2026 edition
DUBAI: Art Basel Qatar has unveiled details of its inaugural edition, set to take place in February 2026, offering a first look at the Galleries sector and its Special Projects program that will activate in Msheireb Downtown Doha.
Alongside presentations by 87 galleries showcasing works by 84 artists, Art Basel Qatar will stage nine large-scale, site-specific commissions across public spaces and cultural venues in Msheireb. Curated by Artistic Director Wael Shawky in collaboration with Art Basel’s Chief Artistic Officer Vincenzo de Bellis, the projects respond to the fair’s central theme, “Becoming.”
Spanning sculpture, installation, performance, film, and architecture, the projects explore transformation in material, social, and political terms, addressing environmental change, migration, memory, and identity. Participating artists include Abraham Cruzvillegas, Bruce Nauman, Hassan Khan, Khalil Rabah, Nalini Malani, Nour Jaouda, Rayyane Tabet, Sumayya Vally, and Sweat Variant (Okwui Okpokwasili and Peter Born). Highlights include Nauman’s immersive 3D video installation at M7, Malani’s monumental outdoor projection on the M7 façade, and Vally’s evolving majlis conceived as a living space for gathering and dialogue.
The Galleries sector brings together exhibitors from 31 countries and territories, with 16 galleries making their Art Basel debut. More than half of the participating artists hail from the MENASA region, reinforcing the fair’s regional focus. Gallery presentations range from iconic figures such as Etel Adnan, Hassan Sharif, and MARWAN to contemporary voices including Ali Cherri, Ahmed Mater, Sophia Al-Maria, and Shirin Neshat.
Galleries from across the region will participate, including those with outposts in Gulf states including Qatar, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia.
The wider Middle East and Asia will also be represented, including galleries from Lebanon, Turkiye, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and India.
Art Basel Qatar will run from Feb. 5-7 across M7, Doha Design District, and other locations in Msheireb Downtown Doha.
