ABU DHABI: Art enthusiasts in Abu Dhabi will get an early introduction to the artistic world of Guggenheim Abu Dhabi this month, with three public programmes scheduled ahead of the museum’s official opening on December 11.
The September programme brings together an interactive artwork, a three-day programme dedicated to Egyptian-Armenian artist Chant Avedissian, and a discussion exploring the relationship between Islamic and contemporary art.
The activities are being held at Manarat Al Saadiyat and Louvre Abu Dhabi, giving the public an opportunity to engage with artists and ideas associated with the forthcoming museum before its doors officially open.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is a partnership between the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. The museum is being developed in the Saadiyat Cultural District and was designed by architect Frank Gehry. Abu Dhabi authorities have confirmed that it will open to the public on December 11, 2026.
Interactive artwork invites Abu Dhabi voices
The first programme, Network of Answers, begins on September 22 and runs until October 22 at Manarat Al Saadiyat.
Artist Agatha Gothe-Snape, who has been commissioned by Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, has created an interactive phone-booth installation where members of the public respond to a series of questions.
The responses are intended to build a collective archive reflecting personal memories, perspectives and experiences from people in Abu Dhabi.
Visitors can participate during the month-long installation without advance registration.
When: September 22 to October 22
Where: Manarat Al Saadiyat, Saadiyat Cultural District
Registration: Not required
Chant Avedissian gets a three-day focus
From September 25 to 27, Manarat Al Saadiyat will host Art Appears: Chant Avedissian, a programme centred on the late Egyptian-Armenian artist.
Avedissian is represented in the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi collection. His practice drew on Egyptian cultural imagery, history and collective memory, reinterpreting those references through a contemporary artistic language.
The three-day programme will combine talks, workshops and interactive activities examining his work, influences and legacy.
Advance registration is required for the sessions.
When: September 25–27, 2pm–7pm
Where: Manarat Al Saadiyat, Saadiyat Cultural District
Registration: Required
Louvre Abu Dhabi hosts an art conversation
The September programme concludes with Abstractions: A Journey Between Islamic and Contemporary Art on September 29 at Louvre Abu Dhabi.
Artist Rachid Koraïchi will join curator Abdelkader Damani for a discussion examining abstraction across different artistic periods and cultures.
The conversation will explore subjects including calligraphy, geometry and contemporary artistic practice, with a focus on connections between Islamic artistic heritage and contemporary art.
Koraïchi has previously been associated with Guggenheim Abu Dhabi’s developing collection. His work Le Chemin des Roses (Path of Roses) was also presented in the museum’s earlier preview exhibition, Seeing Through Light, at Manarat Al Saadiyat in 2014 and 2015.
When: September 29, 6pm
Where: Louvre Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Cultural District
Registration: Required
A preview of the museum’s wider artistic direction
The September activities provide more than a series of events before the opening date. They also offer a window into the kind of contemporary art and cross-cultural conversations Guggenheim Abu Dhabi intends to bring to the region.
The museum’s focus will be modern and contemporary art, particularly works from the 1960s onwards. Its planned scope spans painting, sculpture, installation, photography, moving image and new media, with particular attention to artistic practices from West Asia, North Africa and South Asia.
The building itself is part of the museum’s identity. Gehry’s design is planned around a series of galleries, cones and outdoor exhibition areas overlooking the Arabian Gulf. Experience Abu Dhabi says the museum has 11,600 square metres of interior gallery space and 23,000 square metres of outdoor exhibition space.
For Abu Dhabi residents and visitors, the September programme means the Guggenheim’s cultural activity begins before its official opening. More talks, activations and outreach programmes are expected in the period leading up to December.
The museum’s confirmed public opening date is December 11, 2026.
When will Guggenheim Abu Dhabi open?
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is scheduled to open to the public on December 11, 2026.
What are the September events connected to Guggenheim Abu Dhabi?
The September programme includes Network of Answers, Art Appears: Chant Avedissian, and Abstractions: A Journey Between Islamic and Contemporary Art.
Where are the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi preview events being held?
The programmes are taking place at Manarat Al Saadiyat and Louvre Abu Dhabi, both within Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Cultural District.
Who created Network of Answers?
Artist Agatha Gothe-Snape created the interactive installation, which invites members of the public to contribute responses that form part of a collective archive.
Who is featured in Art Appears: Chant Avedissian?
The programme focuses on Chant Avedissian, an Egyptian-Armenian artist whose work engaged with Egyptian cultural imagery, history and collective memory.
Who is speaking at the September 29 abstraction event?
Artist Rachid Koraïchi will join curator Abdelkader Damani for the discussion at Louvre Abu Dhabi.
What type of art will Guggenheim Abu Dhabi showcase?
The museum will focus on modern and contemporary art, including painting, sculpture, installation, photography, moving image and new media, with a particular regional emphasis on West Asia, North Africa and South Asia.
