Opening November 15, 2024, The first Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial will present the work of over 70 artists from across the UAE and internationally. Under the banner “Public Matter,” their site-specific installations in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain are being devised by artists invited by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi to interpret what the “public” means for a city and emirate such as Abu Dhabi: woven from communities as different and varied as any metropolis, the rich cultural tapestry created here, informed by environments unlike anywhere else on the planet.
Among the most significant artists are Allora & Calzadilla, Farah Al Qasimi, Oscar Murillo, and Zeinab Alhashemi, to mention a few of many interactive works. The Biennial highlights public art by focusing attention on downtown Abu Dhabi and Al Ain and thus provides access.
It will further cement the emirate’s position as a centre for culture,” says DCT Abu Dhabi Chairman HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak. The Biennial, according to DCT’s Culture Sector Executive Director Rita Aoun, aims at deepening community connections through artistic expression.
This Biennial is part of the Public Art Abu Dhabi initiative and alternates with the Manar Abu Dhabi light art exhibition and continues DCT Abu Dhabi’s commitment to fostering creativity, enhancing cultural identity, and inviting everyone—residents and visitors alike—to celebrate the vibrant stories of Abu Dhabi through art.
