The Louvre Abu Dhabi, which will feature 9,200 square meters (100,000 square feet) of gallery space, has commissioned grand works for its opening that was slated for December this year, but has been postponed to 2017. Designed by French architect Jean Nouvel and built at a cost of half a billion euros, The Louvre Abu Dhabi, will be a “museum city” which includes streets, waterways, and plaza with artworks displayed outside as well as inside the galleries. Penone, a member of Italy’s contemporary Arte Povera movement, has created “Germination”, a four-part installation that reveals his fascination with the use of organic materials, such as trees, to highlight the connection between man, nature and art. Among these installations is “Leaves of Light” – a bronze tree soaring towards the museum’s giant 180-meter dome with mirrors placed on its branches to reflect the “Rain of Light”. US conceptual artist Holzer has designed three engraved stone walls of texts from important historical sources from across the world. Many of France’s grand museums, including the Louvre, the Musee d’Orsay and the Palace of Versailles, will loan art to Abu Dhabi as part of a 30-year collaboration with the emirate worth one billion euros ($1.1 billion). Louvre Abu Dhabi will be the first museum to open at the Saadiyat Cultural District and will be followed by the Zayed National Museum and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
