New art museum at Paris's Arab World Institute will 'have its own voice', says chairman

France will soon be home to what is billed as the first pan-Arab art museum in Europe.

It will be constructed in Paris's Arab World Institute, also known as the Institut du Monde Arabe, with extensive renovations planned for the seven-storey building.

According to the institute's chairman Jack Lang, the project will be funded by a French Ministry of Culture grant and contributions from several Arab countries.

In an exclusive interview with The National, Lang, who is one of France's former culture ministers, says nearly 2,000 contemporary artworks from Middle East and North African artists will feature in the museum.

Several galleries will be dedicated to paintings, sculpture, photography, books and manuscripts.

"There are similar and absolutely beautiful museums in cities like Sharjah and Doha but nothing in western countries," he says.

"This is why this museum is very important because it will be a chance to gather our great collection in one place.

“It will not only transform the present space we have but it will help establish a continuous bridge between the history of the Arab world and contemporary art.”

The news comes on the back of the institute reportedly receiving 1,677 works by 148 artists from French-Lebanese dealer and collector Claude Lemand.

The collection includes works by Algerian and Lebanese painters Abdallah Benanteur and Shafic Abboud, plus Iraqi sculptor Dia Al Azzawi.

Some of the pieces, in addition to those already at the institute, will feature in Rabat, Morocco, later this month as part of a show called Masterpieces of the Museum.

Lang hopes to launch more international tours with Abu Dhabi an integral part of these plans.

“We really want to showcase our exhibitions in many places around the world,” he says.

“Of course, we have a wonderful relationship with Abu Dhabi institutions and it is our hope to bring something there also. One idea is to bring our current exhibition looking at 19th-century fabrics from Uzbekistan.”

Culturally collaborating Abu Dhabi

This is not the first time the institute partnered with Abu Dhabi cultural organisations.

In 2021, an agreement was signed with Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi's Arabic Language centre for initiatives promoting Middle Eastern culture both in the UAE and internationally.

One of which is to strengthen the International Certificate of Proficiency in Arabic.

Launched by the institute in 2018, and granted to individuals and organisations after passing a rigorous language exam, the internationally recognised certificate assesses proficiency in modern standard Arabic.

As part of the partnership, the language centre will work with the Alliance Francaise, which administers the tests in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, to endorse the certification and make a record of annual applicants, including proficiency levels, and share relevant learnings.

"We have worked with the highest authorities in the UAE and France to support this project," says Lang.

"The learning manuals used to teach Arabic to adults and children have been designed and translated by the institute.”

One of the institute’s biggest contributions to Abu Dhabi’s cultural landscape happened behind the scenes.

Lang recalls certain sections of the French cultural scene were initially hesitant with the idea of Paris's Louvre Museum having an international outpost in Abu Dhabi.

“There was a lot of disagreement about this and it was more to do with this idea that by going anywhere abroad, the museum would lose its identity and soul,” he recalls.

“This is really an old-fashioned way of thinking and I advocated for it to come to Abu Dhabi in many newspaper articles because it is a transformational project.

“The UAE leadership, I would say, knew this immediately and it was they who initiated the project.”

Changing perceptions

Lang’s support for Louvre Abu Dhabi, which opened in 2017, also comes from his experience leading the Arab World Institute for the past decade. He has witnessed how cultural exchange can open minds and challenge perceptions.

He describes the sprawling centre, home to everything from galleries and bookshops to cafes and restaurants, as a community hub for France’s vibrant Arab and North African diaspora.

“From the people I see here every day, from the Arab world and North Africa, they are happy to be in a place that cherishes the values of freedom, tolerance, creativity and modernity,” Lang says.

“At the same time, from amazing art exhibitions, film screenings, conferences and even a comedy festival, I think we are doing our part in changing whatever misconceptions people have of the Arab world.”

Lang says “it would be a dream" if the institute follows the Louvre and launches abroad in cosmopolitan cities like Abu Dhabi.

"I think it can happen but it should never be a replica of what we do here in Paris. It should have its own voice and reflect the city and its people," he says.

"But these things are not easy. Making profound changes to make the world a better place requires taking steps that are not immediately easy and obvious but ultimately worthwhile."

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