Louvre Abu Dhabi and Richard Mille reveal jury for third annual art prize

The theme for the prize will be Transparencies, with shortlisted artists showcasing their work under the museum's floating dome

Louvre Abu Dhabi Art Here 2023 will be held outdoors for the first time, under the museum’s floating dome. Photo: Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism

The jury for the third Louvre Abu Dhabi Art Here exhibition and The Richard Mille Art Prize has been revealed.

The prize is being held under the theme Transparencies this year. Artists were invited to propose original sculptures and installations that reflect on the notions of transparency, whether in a material or perceptual connotation. The open call ran until July 3.

Opening to the public in November, Louvre Abu Dhabi Art Here 2023 will be held outdoors for the first time, taking place under the museum’s floating dome. It will use the sunlight and shadows permeating the space and the surrounding water.

The members of the jury

Jury members for the third iteration of the prize come from a varied range of artistic backgrounds.

Returning members include Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Khalifa, an adviser to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and chairman of UAE Unlimited. He is also an art collector and patron of the Centre Pompidou, the British Museum and Sharjah Art Foundation.

Souraya Noujaim will also be reprising her role as jury member. Noujaim is the director of the Islamic Arts department at Musee du Louvre in France and was formerly the director for scientific, curatorial and collections management at Louvre Abu Dhabi.

Maya El Khalil, an independent curator and art adviser, is among the new members. The former founding director of Athr Gallery in Jeddah, she will also be curating Louvre Abu Dhabi Art Here 2023.

“The opportunity to present work beneath Louvre Abu Dhabi's iconic dome is both a privilege and a challenge,” El Khalil said. “This is a masterfully realised space, where the structural perforations, light and shadow, water, and courtyards have established a distinctive atmosphere.

“The idea of transparency was initially a response to the interplay of these conditions. The more we considered the concept, the wider the window was open to invite complex and multilayered ideas of perception, observation and the relationship between the artwork, viewer and their material and social context.”

Other new members include Clare Lilley, director of Yorkshire Sculpture Park and the curator of the annual Frieze Sculpture exhibition in London’s Regent’s Park from 2012 to 2022. She is also a trustee of Art UK in London, the George Rickey Foundation in New York, and the Jupiter Artland Foundation in Edinburgh.

Guilhem Andre, acting director for scientific, curatorial and collections management at Louvre Abu Dhabi, will also be in the panel, along with celebrated Emirati artist Mohammed Kazem.

The Richard Mille Art Prize

Louvre Abu Dhabi's 2021 Richard Mille Art Prize exhibition. Vidhyaa Chandramohan for The National

Louvre Abu Dhabi and Swiss watchmaking brand Richard Mille have been holding the annual prize since 2021. The competition comes as part of the two institutions’ aim to support the region’s cultural ecosystem.

Finalists will showcase their works at Louvre Abu Dhabi in the Art Here exhibition. The winner of the Richard Mille Art Prize will be awarded $60,000.

“As the first universal museum in the Arab world, Louvre Abu Dhabi continually strives to identify opportunities to support the development and growth of the region’s arts and culture ecosystem,” Manuel Rabate, director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, said.

“With our partner, Richard Mille, we are thrilled to welcome such an esteemed jury for the third edition of Louvre Abu Dhabi Art Here 2023 and the Richard Mille Art Prize. The calibre of the jury members is a testament to the quality and breadth of talent present within the GCC and the growing stature of this exhibition and art prize.”

Peter Harrison, chief executive of Richard Mille added: “Art Here 2023 marks a celebration of the regional power of art and its expression under the intricate layers of Louvre Abu Dhabi’s dome. I’m proud to witness the Richard Mille Art Prize’s continued commitment to nurture this creative spirit, while providing a platform for artists to showcase their extraordinary talents.”