The Louvre Here

We were at the Louvre shortly after it opened the Islamic arts section in the basement.  That must be my first encounter of Islamic arts and I was totally in awe.

To me, the exquisite craftsmanship of the daggers and the complex yet symmetrical patterns of the tiles, carpets and doors are all indications of a highly sophisticated culture.  This experience sparked my interest in Islamic art and its history.

Hence, when I knew that we were coming to Abu Dhabi, I was imagining daily visit to the Louvre Abu Dhabi and how I could spend all day looking at Islamic art (and of course, other art as well).  Just the thought of that made me grinned.

However, I was let down on our first visit. For one, the art collection here is so tiny that it feels like a sampling menu of only appetisers.  There are more sculptures than paintings (I personally prefer to stare at paintings).  And to my disappointment, their collection of islamic art is even smaller; reaching minimalism level. Maybe their target audiences are Arabs only.

So the container of the art pieces became the centrepiece of the arts.  Everywhere you turn, Jean Nouvel's building gives you a different geometrical perspective with different depths of field produced by the many lines, contours and shadows; almost like a kaleidoscope, the views change whenever you move.  The random sitting areas next to the pods of water are serene and welcoming.  I guess they would be the perfect pondering "ponds" on a quiet day.

But I don't think I would be getting an annual pass for here anytime soon though.