Guggenheim Abu Dhabi: May 2013 public programme
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi presents major contemporary
artists from the growing permanent collection
including El Anatsui, Chant Avedissian, Feng Mengbo,
Youssef Nabil and James Rosenquist in May 2013 public programme
www.saadiyatculturaldistrict.ae
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Public programme to share curatorial vision for the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi’s next Talking Art Series will feature public panels, screenings, workshops and demonstrations by several leading contemporary artists whose works are in the permanent collection of the museum. These programmes will occur twice during this year (6–8 May and 20–23 November) and will unfold over the course of several days at Manarat Al Saadiyat, the exhibition centre on Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island.
In 2013, several of the curatorial narratives helping structure the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi’s collection will be explored, including Popular Culture and the Mediated Image; System, Process, Concept; and History, Memory, Narrative. The roster of participating artists will represent various generations and nationalities. This approach reflects the fundamentally transnational perspective on art history being advanced by the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, which acknowledges the dynamics of art making across geographies and across different moments in time. The May programme will feature, among others, El Anatsui, Chant Avedissian, Feng Mengbo, Youssef Nabil and James Rosenquist. The November programme, which will coincide with Abu Dhabi Art, is expected to welcome another international array of artists, including Heinz Mack, Marwan, Hassan Sharif, Monika Sosnowska and Yang Fudong.
Commenting on the latest milestone for the Saadiyat Cultural District, HE Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) said: “Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, through its transnational perspective on art history, pioneers a novel, visionary model that will redefine the art-historical canon. Through its collection, exhibitions and educational programmes, this museum will contribute to expanding the critical histories of contemporary art in the 21st century and foster appreciation of outstanding creative achievements amongst the regional and international audiences.”
HE Mubarak Hamad Al Muhairi, Director General, TCA Abu Dhabi, said: “Talking Art Series is a dynamic platform for the Saadiyat Cultural District, giving insight into the types of art and ideas that people can expect to encounter when each museum opens. We hope that bringing major contemporary artists to Abu Dhabi for this public programme encourages continued engagement with Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and results in inspiring dialogue between local and global perspectives.”
For further information and details:
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Press contacts
TCA Abu Dhabi: Emma Cantwell, Communications, ecantwell [at] tdic.ae
Art works to be showcased in May Guggenheim Abu Dhabi: Talking Art Series
Acquisitions from Guggenheim Abu Dhabi’s permanent collection to include:
Earth’s Skin by El Anatsui
Three works by Chant Avedissian:
Al Sumud Al Arabi (The Arab Resistance)
Al Watan Al Arabi (The Arab Nation)
Al Entaj Al Arabi (The Arab Production)
Game Over-Long March by Feng Mengbo
Two works by Youssef Nabil:
Natacha & Crown, Cairo 2000
Lonely Pasha, Cairo 2002
Conveyor Belt by James Rosenquist
About the Talking Art Programme
The Talking Art programme is a series of public discussions to engage audiences with each of the forthcoming museums in the Saadiyat Cultural District, where representatives from the curatorial departments of each of the partner institutions join other expert panellists to examine issues pertaining to the growing collections and museum developments.
Specifically, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi: Talking Art Series provides an introduction to the curatorial vision for the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. It creates a dynamic platform for sharing with the public insight into the types of art and ideas that they can expect to encounter in the future museum. The series sheds light on artworks that have been acquired by the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi to date, individual artistic vision and practice; key themes and approaches in contemporary art; and the curatorial narratives that constitute a defining framework for the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Collection including: (1) Popular Culture & the Mediated Image, (2) Abstractions, (3) History, Memory, Narrative, (4) System, Process, Concept, and (5) Global Perspectives.
This edition follows the November 2012 panel in the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi: Talking Art Series with Richard Armstrong (Director of Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation), Frank Gehry (architect of Guggenheim Abu Dhabi) and H.E. Zaki Nusseibeh (Adviser to the UAE’s Ministry of Presidential Affairs) during Abu Dhabi Art, where a progress update was given and select acquisitions for the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Collection were revealed, including works by Monir Farmanfarmaian, Subodh Gupta, Rachid Koraïchi, Jacques Villeglé and Ai Weiwei.
