The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi is organizing the second edition of “Manar Abu Dhabi”, a public art exhibition dedicated to the arts of light, which aims to highlight Abu Dhabi’s position as a beacon of contemporary creativity and a forum for dialogue between art, nature and culture. In its new edition, the exhibition brings together 15 artists and artistic groups from the Emirates and the world, representing 10 countries, to present 23 innovative light artworks that vary between illuminated sculptures, statues, light shows and immersive experiences designed specifically for the sites, in a captivating visual experience that celebrates the diversity of the emirate’s landscapes and turns them into vibrant spaces of light. And inspiration.
Based on the relationship between ancestors in the Gulf region and light through astronomy, this course launches under the title “Your Guide, Najm Suhail” to produce contemporary artistic works that interact with light and its manifestations, whether in its natural manifestations or in its artistic, technological forms and expressions. Under the supervision of artistic director Kai Hori, and curated by curator Alia Zaal Lootah, curator Munira Al Sayegh, and assistant curator Maryam Al Shehhi, Manar Abu Dhabi 2025 will be held in four main locations: Jubail Island, Souq Al Mina, and for the first time in Al Ain, where the cultural paths extend through the Al Qattara and Al Jimi oases in an artistic celebration of the emirate’s unique ecosystems. Abu Dhabi and the diversity of its urban features and natural landscapes. The activities of the “Manar Abu Dhabi 2025” exhibition will be held during the period extending from November 1, 2025 until January 4, 2026 in the city of Al Ain, and from November 15, 2025 until January 4, 2026 in Abu Dhabi.
Jubail Island
Jubail Island is located between Yas Island and Saadiyat Island, and will serve as the main edifice for the Manar Abu Dhabi 2025 exhibition. The island is famous for its picturesque nature and unique biodiversity, as visitors can wander and interact with 15 light artworks that have been carefully integrated throughout the island to provide an immersive experience that combines art and nature. The most prominent works include: “Eden” (2025), an art installation held in the city by the Malaysian artist “Pamela Poe” (born in 1991, Kuala Lumpur), which includes steel structures and suspended glass balls that glow at night with the reflection of light, transforming the place into a quiet, contemplative space that invites the visitor to remain still and contemplate the relationship between light and space. Inside a dome-like structure, the multidisciplinary studio Drift (founded in 2007, Netherlands) presents its work “Transfiguration” (2025), which transforms visitors’ vital data into unique temporary flowers and sounds, through a generative algorithm that creates an audio-visual experience that is constantly renewed and evolves with every moment. Meanwhile, the artwork “Whispers” (2025) is embodied in a sea of Delicate dancing lights that interact with the subtlest air currents and visitors’ movements, creating a sparkling, moving, vibrant spectacle. The scene is completed by the stunning aerial performance “Winds of Change” (2025), where hundreds of drones move in unison and harmony over the island’s mangrove forests, embodying a sense of growth, renewal, and deep connection with nature. The artist introduces Emirati artist specializing in sculpture and installation, Sheikha Al Mazrou (born in 1988, Sharjah – lives and works in Dubai) The artwork “The Passing Star” (2025), which is an amazing circular floor sculpture extending over thirty metres, its features changing over time as the water turns into a disc of crystallized salt, forming a fleeting landmark that glows in the middle of forests. Surrounding Crimea. Digital art studio Irigular (founded in 2010 – based in Montreal, Canada) will present four interactive art installations: When the Waterfall Flows (2022), Faces (2022), Out of Control (2012), and Fates (2024). These businesses use artificial intelligence, sensors, and data visualization techniques To explore how in shared spaces, creating a living map of our collective existence and shared interaction. Other artists whose works are displayed on the island include: Ezequiel Bini (known as Six N. Five), (b. 1985, Buenos Aires, lives and works in Barcelona, Spain), and Christian Brinkmann (b. 1989, resides He works in Hamburg, Germany), Kirsten Berg (b. 1969, Berkeley, California, USA), Anchor Studio (founded in 2016, Switzerland), and Lachlan Turkzan (b. 1993, Los Angeles, USA). The Manar Abu Dhabi exhibition extends for the first time to the Al Ain region, specifically to the Qattara oases. and Al Jimi, which are embraced by the city’s desert landscape and fed by the ancient aflaj systems, will transform them into luminous paths decorated with artistic works and installations that embody the eternal relationship between water, light, earth and life.
Al Qattara Oasis Trail
The Al Qattara Oasis itinerary presents three artworks, each of which interacts with the oasis’ natural landscape and its ancient heritage: Artist Rafael Lozano Hemmer (born in 1971, Mexico City, lives and works between Montreal and Quebec, Canada), returns to the “Manar Abu Dhabi” exhibition to present two new artworks. The first work is “Translation Stream” (2023), which presents poems by contemporary Emirati poets: Nujoom Al Ghanem, Khaled Al Baddour, and Adel Khozam, and presents them as a slow stream of letters that invites visitors to follow this continuous flow of consciousness and translation, in a poetic restoration of the work he participated in in the inaugural edition. The second artwork, “Pulses of Light” (2025), is a light installation in the form of a suspended umbrella that interacts with visitors’ pulses through light sensors. When the visitor places his hand under it, ten rays of light are emitted in a rhythm that mimics his pulse, in an experience in which human feeling fuses with the living energy of light. Emirati designer Khaled Al Shafar (b. 1980, Dubai, United Arab Emirates) titled Sadu Red Carpet (2025) spans 70 square meters inside a historic building, reinventing the art of Sadu — a traditional Bedouin weaving listed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list — in a contemporary form that combines light and brick in a visual pattern. My pixel comes alive. This work embodies an aesthetic dialogue between traditional craft and modern design, presenting an artistic vision that revives the essence of the craft in a contemporary context that combines authenticity and innovation.
Al Jimi Oasis Trail
Al Jimi Oasis is densely covered with palm trees, and visitors can continue their journey along its immersive path, where they can admire five light art installations: In the courtyard of a historic house, multidisciplinary Emirati artist Ammar Al Attar (b. 1981, Ajman, United Arab Emirates) presents his artwork “Orbits” (2025) — a series A photograph of five self-portraits taken by the artist while riding his bicycle on a circular path. The work is displayed sequentially inside light boxes, transforming this simple act into a meditative performance that explores the relationship between the body, space and time. Emirati artist Maitha Hamdan (b. 1989, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) presents her work “Breath of Place” (2025), a double light installation inspired by the oasis environment. The work revolves around a six-meter-high Acacia nilotica tree, from whose branches hang luminous ropes that interact with the movement of visitors via precise sensors, creating a harmonious energy linking humans, the surrounding nature, and history. As for the second work, it includes dangling ribbons that sway in the breeze, emitting faint whispers that resemble the breath of light in its sparkles as it reflects on the evening breeze. Dubai-based Emirati architect Abdullah Al Mulla (b. 1990, United Arab Emirates) presents his artwork “Zaha Al Dar” (2025), inspired by the luminous decorations that adorn bridal homes according to the region’s traditional wedding traditions. The work is displayed in a historical location to embody the spirit of joy and celebration, reviving the festive atmosphere that combines lighting, joy and memory in the majlis. “In the Breath of Flowers” (2024), an interactive audio-visual art installation by artist Christian Brinkmann (b. 1989, Hamburg, Germany), is based on visitors interacting with a living plant placed at the heart of the art installation, creating a multi-dimensional sensory experience that combines the physical and the virtual, through a changing display of 3D scans of surrounding plants. Displayed on a dynamic digital board. This work is also displayed on Jubail Island.
Souq Al Mina In a scene that harmonizes with the vibrant skyline of Abu Dhabi at Mina Zayed, international artist “Kaws” (born 1974, Jersey City, USA), in collaboration with his permanent partner AllRightsReserved, presents his famous artwork “Holiday”, which is characterized by the display of the illuminated “companion” figure, which is the artist’s most famous work, as the figure appears lying on its back. Raising a luminous full moon in his hands. This colossal sculpture was first exhibited in Shanghai in August 2024, and now arrives in Abu Dhabi, where it settles amid the lively atmosphere of the port market, among the passing ships and the active movement on the shore. This work evokes the moon, which was the beacon of sailors in the dark of the night, linking maritime memory and the contemporary scene, and uniting art, culture and navigation under the vast night sky. In addition to the exhibition, a public program rich in dialogues, workshops and performances will be organized throughout the event, as the program gives visitors the opportunity to interact directly with the artists and explore the concepts of light and contemporary art from multiple angles. The full schedule of the exhibition’s general program will be announced soon.
