Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, inaugurated Louvre Abu Dhabi’s second international exhibition of the year, Stories of Paper.
The all-new exhibition will open to the public on April 20 and will run until July 24, 2022. Organised by Louvre Abu Dhabi in partnership with Musée du Louvre and France Muséums, the exhibition discovers the extensive variety of artistic expressions of paper, with the purpose of encouraging richer knowledge of a familiar, and increasingly versatile material.
“With the emergence of digital transformation and the dematerialisation of our haptic experiences, it makes sense for Louvre Abu Dhabi, a universal museum, to celebrate paper as a common yet precious good," says Manuel Rabaté, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi. "From books, manuscripts and drawings to contemporary art works or installations made of paper, Stories of Paper retraces a chronological history of this single universal medium, considering the usage and key characteristics of paper such as transparency and robustness to provide an original perspective on the use of paper throughout time and across the different regions. We are also very pleased to invite prominent Emirati artists to be to be part of this shared dialogue—with works on display by Hassan Sharif, Abdullah Al Saadi and Mohammed Kazem, all of whom are considered pioneers of Emirati conceptual art. A special thanks goes to Musée du Louvre, France-Muséums and all the international lending institutions and private collections who have helped in bringing this exhibition to fruition.”
Dr. Souraya Noujaim, Scientific, Curatorial and Collections Management Director at Louvre Abu Dhabi, said: “Paper has, without a doubt, served a purpose in every aspect of society throughout history. There is already nostalgia for the material and its many familiar uses in our daily lives. However, time is not up for paper. It is still strongly rooted in our practices and its charm has not faded. This is evident in the artworks on display at Stories of Paper. We are very proud that, for the first time, we are able to showcase pieces from renowned Emirati contemporary artists, such as Hassan Sharif, Abdullah Al Saadi and Muhammad Kazem, which explore key attributes of paper as a medium, celebrating this simple yet unique medium and its perpetual importance in today’s society.”
