feature - Dubai Women's College - Higher Colleges of Technology

The works will be housed in a huge flying
saucer-shaped museum designed by the French
Architect, Jean Nouvel, which will be erected
on the Abu Dhabi water front, opening
sometime after 2012.
Guggenheim- Abu Dhabi:
At 30,000 square meters, the Abu Dhabi-
Guggenheim museum will be the only
Guggenheim museum in the Middle East and
will be larger than any existing Guggenheim
worldwide. It is expected that the museum
will be constructed within five years.In a press
statement released by the New-York based
Guggenheim Foundation, the museum will
form its own major collection of contemporary
art and will also exhibit masterworks from the
Guggenheim Foundation’s global collections.
The museum will be built in the Cultural
District of Saadiyat Island — a natural island
lying 500 meters offshore the UAE capital,
which is being transformed into an
internationaltourism destination.
The Cultural District will also be home to
a national museum, classical art museum,
maritime museum, performing arts centre and
an expansive arts centre park. Thomas Krens,
Director of the Guggenheim Foundation,
says,“In Abu Dhabi, we have had the good
fortune to discover a partner that not only
shares our point of view, but expands upon it.
The plans for Saadiyat Island and the cultural
district, envisioned and developed by the Abu Dhabi
Government, are, quite simply, extraordinary.
When this comprehensive and inclusive
vision is realized, it will set a standard for
global culture that will resonate for decades
to come.” William Mack, Chairman of the
Guggenheim Foundation, who led a delegation
of Guggenheim trustees to Abu Dhabi for
the project launch, says he congratulates the
Government of Abu Dhabi for its foresight in
the redevelopment of Saadiyat Island and for
its realization that art and culture have a central
role to play in enhancing international relations
and understanding, and in encouraging greater
educational initiatives locally, regionally and
internationally.”
Survey
How do nationals and expatriates feel about the
country’s move to embrace international art?
Are they aware of the benefits it will bring to
Louvre Abu Dhabi model. Provided by: www.tdic.ae
the country’s economy and culture? Year Three
Applied Communications students conducted
a sample survey on 100 students and staff of
Dubai Women’s College. The goal of the survey
was to find out if the students and staff have
basic information on what might be the core
idea of bringing international art to the United
Arab Emirates and if they would consider
visiting the local branches of the international
museums.
According to the survey results, the idea of
importing international museums seems
to be a successful one whether the reasons
behind this idea were commercial purposes or
artistic purposes.The survey had two categories,
one was conducted on UAE nationals and
the other was on the expatriates. What was
conducted from the study is that most people
both, locals and expatriates, believe that the
international museums brought to the UAE
will enrich the art movement in the country,
then comes the enhancement of tourism,
which will generate revenue. The majority of
locals and expatriates surveyed said that they
have visited international museums and would
be willing to visit the UAE branches of the
Guggenheim and Louve, since most of them
are interested. Nearly everyone agreed that they
were most interested in visiting historical and
cultural museums, artistic museums followed
by scientific museums.
The Cultural District
of Saadiyat Island
will be home to five
major cultural
institutions designed
by internationally
renowned architects
and a Biennale Park
setting with pavilions
designed to host
international art
and cultural fairs
and events. It will
also boast a city-facing
quayside, an iconic
seven-star hotel,
exclusive villas and
hotel accommodation,
extensive retail
opportunities, harbours
and green parks. Five
Cultural Institutions:
* The Guggenheim
* The Louvre
* The Performing
Arts Centre
* The Maritime
Museum
* The Sheikh Zayed
National Museum
For further
information, please
visit: www.tdic.ae