PR92011

ABU DHABI, UAE , September 29, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

    - Establishment of a major museum for global modern and contemporary art in

Abu Dhabi

    - Abu Dhabi's plans to transform the emirate into a culture and creative

industries centre and further its economic diversification

    - Collaboration between the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi

and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation advances Abu Dhabi's cultural vision

    - Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will foster cultural exchange and present a global

collection with a focus on West Asia, North Africa and South Asia (WANASA)

    - Guggenheim Abu Dhabi museum contractor has been appointed with a contract

value of USD 1 billion to deliver the Frank Gehry designed museum

    The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has

announced that the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is on track for 2025 completion.

    Set to be part of a thriving community of cultural institutions in Abu

Dhabi, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is the latest installment in the Solomon R.

Guggenheim Foundation's international constellation of museums. Guggenheim Abu

Dhabi will be the region's pre-eminent museum dedicated to global modern and

contemporary art and programming.

    Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will foster cultural exchange with a mission to

contribute to and stimulate expansive perspectives on the history of art.

Presenting a global collection with a specific focus on West Asia, North

Africa, and South Asia (WANASA), Guggenheim Abu Dhabi fosters a deeper

understanding of how different art perspectives have shaped the interconnected

histories and cultures of our time. With both Emirati and regional experts

playing a key role in the development of the museum's collection and

programmes, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will provide a first-of-its-kind platform for

artists from the UAE and the Gulf, the WANASA region and the world to create

commissioned works and engage with global audiences.

    H.E. Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi, said:

"Guggenheim Abu Dhabi advances Abu Dhabi's position as a dynamic centre for

arts and culture. The region's pre-eminent museum of global modern and

contemporary art, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will present an equitable platform for

art from all over the world. The museum will also play a civic role through its

mission to spark wider interest in global modern and contemporary art,

fostering diversity and inclusion in a meaningful cultural exchange. As we move

forward with our plans, it is crucial to recognise the impact of this museum in

realising our vision for the Emirate's culture and creative industries.

Investing in these industries is pivotal to the economic development of our

Emirate, and to our contribution to the global art world. Guggenheim Abu Dhabi,

along with other cultural institutions such as Louvre Abu Dhabi and Zayed

National Museum, will undoubtedly contribute significantly to a thriving

creative scene."

    Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is being established and developed by DCT Abu Dhabi in

collaboration with the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. The museum is set to

be the largest and most expansive of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation's

constellation of museums, which includes the Guggenheim Museum in New York

designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the Guggenheim Bilbao designed by Pritzker

Prize-winning architect Frank Gehry, and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection housed

in the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni in Venice.

    Richard Armstrong, Director, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation

stated: "Today's announcement represents a significant milestone in the

realisation of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, a landmark new museum. The Guggenheim

Abu Dhabi, housed in Frank Gehry's distinctive building, will be home to an

expansive and evolving collection of artworks that advance multiple

perspectives on the global histories of modern and contemporary art, with a

particular focus on art from West Asia, North Africa, and South Asia. Abu Dhabi

is a vibrant and diverse cultural centre with a global outlook and rapidly

growing creative economy, making it the ideal location for a new international

museum. We are grateful to the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi,

our partners in this bold collaboration. It is with great enthusiasm that we

look forward to sharing the museum's collection, programming, and building with

the public at the future Guggenheim Abu Dhabi."

    Frank Gehry, commented: "It is truly thrilling to see this project enter

into this new phase. I am immensely proud to work closely with our partners,

DCT Abu Dhabi and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, to create a home for

their ground-breaking cultural program. I hope that this building is embraced

by the people of the UAE and that this work will endure as a landmark for the

country for many years to come."

    As part of Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's commitment to support artists in the

region, the museum has been curating and delivering engaging public programming

for its audiences since its inception. This includes three exhibitions held in

Abu Dhabi featuring select works from the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi collection in a

bid to represent the future museum's curatorial vision. In addition, the museum

organised a dynamic public programme highlighting contemporary artists from

around the world. Most recently, the museum launched its 'Spotlight' video

series on the Abu Dhabi Culture social media platforms, which explores a

selection of Guggenheim Abu Dhabi works on loan across the world.

    Located in the heart of the Saadiyat Cultural District, the museum will be

an architectural landmark inspired by the vernacular architecture of the UAE

and the region. Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will be a part of Abu Dhabi's growing

network of cultural institutions, including Louvre Abu Dhabi, New York

University, Manarat Al Saadiyat and the Cultural Foundation. Upcoming cultural

institutions set to join the Saadiyat Cultural District include Zayed National

Museum dedicated to celebrating the life and achievements of the Founding

Father of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and the

Abrahamic Family House, a multi-faith place of worship.  

    For media inquiries please contact:

    Sherine Nour  

    Culture Sector Marketing & Communications Director

    Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi

    SAbdelGafar@dctabudhabi.ae

    Nada ElBarshoumi

    Weber Shandwick

    nelbarshoumi@webershandwick.com

    +971 50 274 0741

    Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1638393/DCT_Abu_Dhabi_Guggenheim.jpg

    Source: DCT Abu Dhabi and Guggenheim