From Tarik Kiswanson’s unveiling of his first public artwork, Nest, to Rand Abdul Jabbar’s monumental Crown, near Etihad Square, and Lúcia Koch’s inconspicuous Deep Spaces throughout the city’s downtown, the Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial’s second phase has kicked into full gear. In total, nine new installations and artwork have been unveiled as the inaugural Biennial continues to turn the emirate into a city-wide outdoor art gallery.
Organised by the culture sector of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, the site-specific installations by more than 70 artists from the United Arab Emirates and around the world, including 40 new commissions, are thoughtfully exhibited throughout the downtown areas of Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. Seven self-guided routes within Abu Dhabi connect the artworks through walks along the corniche, through public parks, the city’s downtown, Cultural Foundation, and even the National Theatre. A drive around the carpet souq district reveals five installations.
Abu Dhabi is home to a diverse population and the Biennial aims to explore the cultural imaginaries of different transitory communities and the conditions under which they become public.
Highlighting these themes are Sophia Balagamwala’s collection of four books Other Maps and Guides, which interweaves memories with shifting landscapes and maps how people live, eat and play in Abu Dhabi, where tradition and change coexist.
The members of the Arquitectura Expandida collective—Ana María López Ortego, Harold Guyaux and Viviana Parada Camargo—have been seen transporting a mobile ping-pong table through the streets of Abu Dhabi as part of their Urban Negotiation project. By creating a majlis (sitting room) either at an unannounced location or their downtown shop, the collective attracts communities to come together to socialise and be entertained.
Zeinab Alhashemi, Equilibrium, Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial 2024 – 2025 © Lance Gerber
At the Abu Dhabi Bus Terminal, Atelier Aziz Alqatami’s Al Mahatta plans were revealed during the second launch and include a proposal to renovate the building’s mezzanine, which once housed a wedding hall, and transform the space for talks and exhibitions, dining and gatherings. Four additional installations by Henrique Oliveira, Zeinab Al Hashemi, Daniel Buren and Eko Nugroho complete the Abu Dhabi Bus Terminal Route. A further installation by Hussein Sharif is planned for March.
With public art envisioned as a resource available to everyone, including children, Abu Dhabi-based artist Ayesha Hadhir unveiled Playful Traditions at the Cultural Foundation. The series of three structures—a dhow (sailing vessel), a water fountain where children can learn about local fish such as the hamour, and a gargour (traditional fishing trap)—combine cultural heritage with playful learning.
The eighth, historically rich, route meanders through Al Ain and includes seven installations. Offering a space for reflection on migration at Hili Archeologic Site, Anga Art Collective’s Migration Granary is an architectural complex symbolising the resilience and hardship of historical and contemporary migrants. Shaikha Al Ketbi’s whimsical lamp posts and Yeesookyung’s sculptural gold-coated rock further enhance the site. At the Al Ain Oasis, installations by Alex Ayed, Nathan Coley and Rawdha Al Ketbi are installed amongst the Iron Age relics and traditional falaj irrigation systems.
Christopher Joshua Benton, Where Lies My Carpet Is Thy Home, Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial 2024 – 2025 © Lance Gerber
The Biennial continues until 30 April 2025, enhanced by public programming including Frying Pan Adventure’s Public Art and Street Food Tour, a screening of Wael Shawky’s Drama 1882 (2024) at the Cultural Foundation, a participatory performance by Mobile Academy Berlin and more. Regular concerts are hosted at Christopher Joshua Benton’s installation Where Lies My Carpet Is Thy Home, which has transformed the Carpet Souq into a vibrant communal space.