Louvre Abu Dhabi announces jury and shortlisted artists for Art Here and Richard Mille prize 2025

Creatives from Palestine, the UAE, Japan, Pakistan and Morocco are among award's potential winners

Shortlisted artists, clockwise from top left, Ryoichi Kurokawa, Jumairy, Ahmed Alaqra, Hamra Abbas, Yokome et Bouayad and Rintaro Fuse. Photo: Louvre Abu Dhabi

Louvre Abu Dhabi has announced the shortlisted artists and jury members for the fifth year of Art Here and the Richard Mille Art Prize. The annual exhibition and competition shines a light on contemporary art from the region and beyond.

The shortlisted works will be unveiled at the museum on October 11 and will stay on display until December 28. The winner of the Richard Mille Art Prize will be announced following the opening of the exhibition in October.

Curated by Sophie Mayuko Arni, this year’s exhibition invited artists to respond to the theme Shadows, exploring ideas around light and its absence by way of memory, identity and transformation.

Six proposals by seven artists have been selected for the exhibition. The list includes Palestinian architect and researcher Ahmed Alaqra; Emirati artist and musician Jumairy; Japanese media artist Ryoichi Kurokawa; UAE-based Pakistani artist Hamra Abbas; Japanese multidisciplinary artist Rintaro Fuse; and the architectural duo Yokomae et Bouayad, made up of Takuma Yokomae of Japan and Dr Ghali Bouayad of Morocco.

More than 400 proposals were submitted by artists based in the Gulf and Japan, as well as others from the Mena region.

The works to be displayed span a range of disciplines, including digital performance, immersive installations, architecture and traditional Islamic art. Each of the selected artists offers a personal take on the theme, while contributing to a broader cultural dialogue across geographies and media.

The shortlisted artworks will be on display at Louvre Abu Dhabi from October. Photo: Louvre Abu Dhabi

The exhibition’s jury includes Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, adviser to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a key patron of the UAE’s cultural scene; Guilhem Andre, director of Scientific, Curatorial and Collections Management at Louvre Abu Dhabi; and Maya Allison, executive director of the Art Gallery at NYUAD. They are joined by international curators Yuko Hasegawa and Mayuko Arni.

“Now in its fifth edition, Art Here continues to grow as a platform for dialogue and discovery,” said Manuel Rabate, director of Louvre Abu Dhabi. “The calibre and number of proposals received this year reflect the region’s growing creative momentum and the expanding reach of the initiative.”

The competition continues to broaden its international scope, too. This year marks the first time artists from Japan have been included, with organisers saying the move reflects a growing effort to create cross-cultural exchange between the Gulf and East Asia.

“The expansion into Japan reflects our shared vision with Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi to build meaningful connections between artists and audiences across different contexts,” said Peter Harrison, chief executive of Richard Mille EMEA.

“The evolution of Art Here over its five editions has seen it become a flagship exhibition for Louvre Abu Dhabi,” added Andre. “This year’s expansion into Japan marks a deliberate curatorial shift that deepens cross-cultural dialogue ... and reaffirms our role as a hub for both regional and international creativity.”

Of the theme, curator Mayuko Arni said: “Shadows allowed for wide interpretations of outdoor installations. The sheer number of proposals received speaks volumes about the relevance of Art Here and the Richard Mille Art Prize at Louvre Abu Dhabi.”