teamLab, Morphing Continuum, 2025, Installation, Sound: Hideaki Takahashi © teamLab, courtesy Pace Gallery
teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, a museum devoted to the interactive art of the Japanese collective teamLab, opens on 18 April in Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Cultural District. The undulating 17,000 sq. m space is an important project for teamLab, which also has permanent museums across Asia and one in Jeddah. The exhibitions feature a changing roster of teamLab’s multi-sensory works, which evolve based on environmental conditions and the visitors’ presence in the room. The Abu Dhabi museum is themed around nature, with works conjuring the flow of water, kaleidoscopes, butterflies and sea creatures.
The museum demonstrates the Saadiyat Cultural District’s interest in exploring digital art, but it will also function as an attraction for locals and tourists. The museum is a joint venture by teamLab, Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) and Miral, Abu Dhabi’s main tourist attraction developer. Miral’s portfolio also includes Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi, Ferrari World and Yas Waterworld, and the organisation shares a chair with the DCT—Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak.
Saadiyat is due to open three further museums this year: Zayed National Museum, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi. The Louvre Abu Dhabi opened on Saadiyat Island in 2017.
The artist, who teaches miniature painting in Lahore, is showing his new work at Concrete gallery during Art Dubai
Announcement was made at yesterday's preview of Abu Dhabi Art 2021, where cultural leaders were keen to emphasise their commitment to the emirate following its strict lockdown
New York University Abu Dhabi's postgraduate art course will start next autumn and cost $140,000 over two years
