Manar Abu Dhabi 2025: Illuminating the Emirate with Innovation and Heritage
Manar Abu Dhabi, the acclaimed public light art exhibition, returns for its highly anticipated second edition to brighten the UAE capital with an inspiring array of artworks influenced by the Gulf’s ancestral relationship with light. Organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), this year’s spectacle gathers 15 Emirati and international artists and collectives from 10 countries, including renowned Emirati sculptor Shaikha Al Mazrou, innovative studio DRIFT, and multidisciplinary artist Pamela Poh.
This edition, themed ‘The Light Compass’, features 23 site-specific light sculptures, projections, and immersive installations. Each piece explores light as both guide and medium, investigating the delicate balance between its navigational function and poetic allure. Artistic leadership comes from Khai Hori (Artistic Director), with Alia Zaal Lootah (Curator), Munira Al Sayegh (Curator), and Mariam Alshehhi (Assistant Curator) guiding the curatorial vision.
For 2025, Manar Abu Dhabi expands its reach beyond Jubail Island and Souq Al Mina to include, for the first time, Al Ain. Visitors can journey through illuminated trails in the Al Qattara and Al Jimi Oases, highlighting and honoring Abu Dhabi’s unique ecosystems and cityscapes.
More than just an exhibition, Manar Abu Dhabi offers a vibrant public programme—a rich blend of talks, workshops, performances, and experiences designed to encourage audience participation and deeper engagement.
Dynamic Talks: Art, Technology, and Public Space
The exhibition’s talks programme comprises eight captivating sessions, delving into the evolving intersections of art, technology, and public space. The series opens with Public Art & the Al Ain Landscape, a discussion in Arabic with artists Ammar Al Attar, Maitha Hamdan, and Khalid Shafar. This is followed by “Let’s Talk About Manar Abu Dhabi 2025,” where the curatorial team—Khai Hori, Alia Zaal Lootah, Munira Al Sayegh, and Mariam Al Shehhi—share insights into this year’s vision.
Other standout sessions include:
- The Future of Art Without AI: Is It Possible?: Moderated by Dr Elizabeth Churchill, featuring Khai Hori and Giulia Bini (Head of Arts at CERN), this dialogue interrogates the place of artificial intelligence in creative practice.
- Art, Tech, & Human Connection: With Ralph Nauta of Studio Drift, exploring how technology can foster meaningful engagement.
- Art at the Intersection of Nature & Technology: Led by Ulrich Schrauth (UBD Digital Art Museum Artistic Director), joined by Christian Brinkmann and Dr Brigitte Howarth.
- Light, Motion, & Perception: Moderated by Munira Al Sayegh with artists Lachlan Turczan and Ezequiel Pini dissecting how art shapes perception and transforms physical experiences.
In collaboration with Abu Dhabi Art, additional talks focus on sculpture and space, such as Reimagining Space Through Sculpture (with Kirsten Berg and Shaikha Al Mazrou, moderated by Sara bin Safwan) and Designing Public Art for Presence & Space (with Pamela Poh, Abdalla Al Mulla, moderated by Alia Zaal Lootah).
Performances: Echoes Across Cultures
Beyond visual installations, Manar Abu Dhabi 2025 presents electrifying live performances, celebrating creativity and cross-cultural dialogue:
- Bedouin Burger: A collaboration between Syrian vocalist Lynn Adib and Lebanese multi-instrumentalist Zeid Hamdan, melding Arabic folk with jazz and electronica.
- Haepaary: The Korean duo (Minhee Park and Hyewon Choi), acclaimed for their ethereal reinterpretations of Confucian melodies.
- Tarek Yamani: Acclaimed jazz pianist, offering Afro-Tarab Jazz Conceptions—a unique musical journey from early 20th-century Egypt to modern New York.
- Love and Revenge: Presents Agmal layali, a tribute to Oum Kalthoum, blending archivally restored visuals and electronic soundscapes.
- Ars Nova Napoli: In partnership with the Italian Cultural Centre and Embassy of Italy, reviving Mediterranean and Neapolitan folk traditions.
- Weekend performances at Souq Al Mina by groups including Fourmanos, Amjad Shakir, and Shilpa Ananth X Beatbox Ray.
University Programme: Inspiring the Next Generation
In a testament to its commitment to learning and engagement, Manar Abu Dhabi offers a dedicated programme for universities in Abu Dhabi. Keynote lectures by participating artists—such as Lachlan Turczan and Rafael Lozano-Hemmer—will immerse students in contemporary art’s frontiers, particularly at the nexus of art, technology, and artificial intelligence. Students will glean firsthand insights into creative processes and the ever-evolving role of digital media in shaping artistic discourse.
By integrating international artistic voices with local landscapes—and fostering meaningful dialogue and hands-on learning—Manar Abu Dhabi 2025 promises not only to illuminate public spaces but also to inspire audiences, artists, and future visionaries across the emirate and beyond.
Team V.4-EM-UAE
