When you are planning your visit to Abu Dhabi, it might not – usually – cross your mind that it is a city of art and culture. Among the dune bashing and desert safari is a city that is rapidly becoming the heart of everything aesthetic in the region. Abu Dhabi is on its way to being the art hub of the entire Middle Eastern region, a mere step away from being of the world.
This emergence in the art can be attributed to more than a tactic for tourist attraction. If you are to visit any Abu Dhabi Resort, you would notice without fail that there is an aesthetic going on in the building. In fact, Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara which ideally would be glorifying the desert attractions, make it a point to mention the Arabian décor they use in the hotel in their descriptions. From a painting to a sculpture to a statue, art is ingrained in city’s veins; a fact that is seeing the light of day now. Among the numerous art galleries and exhibition halls that portray the works of local as well as global artists, two institutes stand tall and strong: Guggenheim and Zayed National Museum and Louvre Abu Dhabi. The name of the latter is not a ploy at appearances, but a real reflection of what the Museum is striving to be. Adding to this already established institutes is Abu Dhabi Art in Manarat Al Saadiyat, an annual fair that invites artists from all over the world to showcase their masterpieces. There are many pieces that depict religious unity, the sculture of the region, art that is inspired by Islam and its ideologies, as well as personal emotions and feelings of the painter. With such great opportunities for creative freedom, it is but little wonder that Abu Dhabi is becoming a favourite destination for the artist and the art enthusiast.
Catalina Forbes is a travel writer who bases her content on many thrilling escapades experienced across the world.
