Walking around the new Louvre Abu Dhabi, a bizarre thought crept into my head: this magnificent building has something in common with the Rolling Stones. I will get to that in a moment, but I am writing this from Abu Dhabi after a truly inspirational visit to the art museum. It is one of the great modern buildings of the world. Three things are remarkable — the architecture, the content and the philosophy behind its creation.
The building includes 23 galleries holding 600 works of art. But statistics cannot describe how breathtaking it is. In one area, the visitor stands under the shade of enormous stone palm fronds. In another, beautiful Arabic calligraphy stands out from massive stone panels. The blue sea lagoons contrast with the sharp whiteness of the walls. One visitor told me he bought a membership not just to look at the contents but, he said, because the Louvre is a perfect place to sit and be at peace in serene surroundings.
The content includes exhibits from the Louvre's Paris collection, but the real genius is how it is presented. From ancient stone axes to glorified heroes and different ways of dealing with death, the concept is a celebration of our common humanity. The key message is that all artists, whether they are from China, India, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and elsewhere, come from different cultures and hold different beliefs, but they have the same concerns, hopes and fears. What could be more appropriate for a city and a region which sees itself as the crossroads of the world?
Of course, our modern world is also one of confrontation, conflict and division. We fight over land, ideas and resources. And yet, here is a living symbol of tolerance and respect for others. But it is also something more, which is why it reminded me oddly of the Rolling Stones. Their particular genius as a British rock band was to borrow the rhythms and style of African American music, which of course was inspired by African music with a twist of white American folk, country and rock and roll.
Great art, whether from popular culture or the high art of Louvre Abu Dhabi, is often at its best when it pulls together different traditions and ideas. The American poet TS Eliot once wrote that "immature poets imitate; mature poets steal". He meant that the best art is a collaboration, a borrowing, a mix of cultures, traditions and ideas, including the inspiration one artist draws from another.
Louvre Abu Dhabi — in fact, Abu Dhabi itself — is a collaboration. It teaches us to celebrate our diversity and common humanity, our shared hopes, dreams and fears. The people we do not like, our competitors, even our enemies — when they wake up in the morning, do they not want what we want? Do we not all hope to raise our children in safety, to see the young do better than we have done, to create, to have fun, to enjoy life and in the end, to pay respects to the dead? During the coldest times of the Cold War another British rock band, The Police, sang that we could be saved from a nuclear holocaust "if the Russians love their children too". Of course Russians do love their children. The real success of the Louvre Abu Dhabi project is to encourage us to reflect that even in a world of conflict and discord, we have more in common than that which divides us.
One other thing we also have in common is to complain about the cost of great cultural projects — and then to forget about the cost when we come to celebrate the reality of what has been created. It happened when I was in Germany over the summer. People in Hamburg complained about the cost of their recently opened Elbphilharmonie concert hall, until they visited it and saw how wonderful it is. My fellow Scots complained endlessly about the cost of two massive steel statues of horse heads known as The Kelpies, built near the town of Falkirk — until the tourists arrived in their droves and brought a new prosperity to the area. And some questioned the cost of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, although the critics will be silenced the moment they step inside.
As I left the museum, another thought came to mind, one I would love to hear others' opinions on @gavinesler. How can the greatness of Arab culture itself be conveyed to a wider world? And by Arab culture, I mean everything from food and music to calligraphy and modern design, from clothes designers to novelists in the modern Arab tradition, including Ahdaf Soueif, Alaa Al Aswany and Amin Maalouf, among others. The Louvre Abu Dhabi project demonstrates that the central purpose of art is to encourage us to see the world differently. The Arab world has many problems but it also has a great story to tell — a story of past, present and future. Art and culture are simply ways to help tell that story better and change the way audiences around the world see this creative and outward-looking region.
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
The biog
DOB: March 13, 1987
Place of birth: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia but lived in Virginia in the US and raised in Lebanon
School: ACS in Lebanon
University: BSA in Graphic Design at the American University of Beirut
MSA in Design Entrepreneurship at the School of Visual Arts in New York City
Nationality: Lebanese
Status: Single
Favourite thing to do: I really enjoy cycling, I was a participant in Cycling for Gaza for the second time this year
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Geneva from Dh2,845 return, including taxes. The flight takes 6 hours.
The package
Clinique La Prairie offers a variety of programmes. A six-night Master Detox costs from 14,900 Swiss francs (Dh57,655), including all food, accommodation and a set schedule of medical consultations and spa treatments.
Section 375
Cast: Akshaye Khanna, Richa Chadha, Meera Chopra & Rahul Bhat
Director: Ajay Bahl
Producers: Kumar Mangat Pathak, Abhishek Pathak & SCIPL
Rating: 3.5/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).
Januzaj's club record
Manchester United 50 appearances, 5 goals
Borussia Dortmund (loan) 6 appearances, 0 goals
Sunderland (loan) 25 appearances, 0 goals
Voices: How A Great Singer Can Change Your Life
Nick Coleman
Jonathan Cape
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