Louvre Abu Dhabi and Swiss luxury watchmaker Richard Mille have revealed the jury and shortlisted artists for the fifth edition of Art Here and the Richard Mille Art Prize. The upcoming exhibition, opening on 11 October and running until 28 December 2025, will be held under Louvre Abu Dhabi’s iconic dome. This year’s theme, Shadows, explores light and absence, visibility and concealment, and the layered nature of memory, identity, and transformation.
The 2025 jury features His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, a key patron and advisor to the UAE’s cultural landscape. He is joined by Dr Guilhem André, Louvre Abu Dhabi’s Director of Scientific, Curatorial, and Collections Management, and Maya Allison, Executive Director of NYU Abu Dhabi’s Art Galleries. Acclaimed curators Yuko Hasegawa and Sophie Mayuko Arni, who also serves as this year’s guest curator, round out the panel. Arni is known for fostering Gulf–Japan cultural exchange through her curatorial work and as the founder of Global Art Daily.
Regional Depth and Cross-Cultural Expansion
This edition attracted over 400 proposals from artists based in the GCC, Japan, and the wider MENA region with ties to the Gulf. Six proposals by seven artists have been shortlisted, each bringing a distinct cultural and creative approach. The selected artists are:
- Ahmed Al-Aqra, a Palestinian architect and artist, who blends art, philosophy, and spatial research.
- Jumairy, an Emirati artist-musician, known for digital performances that blur the boundaries between the real and virtual.
- Ryoichi Kurokawa, a Japanese artist fusing sound and visuals into immersive installations.
- Hamra Abbas, a Pakistan-born artist living in the UAE, who reinterprets Islamic art through contemporary themes of gender and faith.
- Rintaro Fuse, a Japanese multidisciplinary artist exploring urban isolation through painting, poetry, and film.
- YOKOMAE et BOUAYAD, a duo comprising Takuma Yokomae (Japan) and Dr Ghali Bouayad (Morocco), whose projects merge Tokyo and Marrakesh design traditions.
Each project reflects deeply personal interpretations of identity and culture, aligning with the exhibition’s central theme.
Curatorial Vision and Creative Dialogue
Manuel Rabaté, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, stated: “Now in its fifth edition, Art Here continues to grow as a platform for dialogue and discovery, bringing together emerging artistic voices from across the region and, for the first time, Japan… We are proud to share that the calibre and number of proposals received this year reflect the region’s growing creative momentum.”
Peter Harrison, CEO of Richard Mille EMEA, added: “Art Here and the Richard Mille Art Prize have become a key part of our ongoing support for contemporary art… The quality and thoughtfulness of this year’s proposals show a growing maturity in the regional and global art scene.”
Curator Sophie Mayuko Arni noted: “I am deeply honoured to curate this year’s edition… Expanding the geographical reach of the Prize may come with challenges, but fostering cross-cultural understanding sits at the heart of the museum’s mission.”
Dr Guilhem André concluded: “This year’s expansion into Japan marks a deliberate curatorial shift that deepens cross-cultural dialogue… reflecting our sustained belief that contemporary art is a powerful lens through which we can understand our shared humanity.”
With its expanded scope and thematic depth, Art Here 2025 continues to forge new connections across the Gulf, East Asia, and beyond—positioning Louvre Abu Dhabi as a global centre for creative discourse and contemporary cultural exchange.
For more details, visit: louvreabudhabi.ae/en/exhibitions/art-here-2025