Manar Abu Dhabi: Light Meets Landscape

Light and Nature Meet in Abu Dhabi: Manar Abu Dhabi Reopens

The relationship between light, motion, and landscape is explored in the second edition of the Manar Abu Dhabi open-air light installation exhibition, which once again transforms Abu Dhabi's natural spaces in a stunning manner. The dunes, mangroves, and sand paths of Jubail Island are now home to 22 spectacular artworks that utilize lasers, mirrors, steel, glass, and optical fibers to evoke the magic of night. The program runs until January 4, 2026, and entrance is free for everyone.

Light as a Compass: The Message of This Year's Theme

The exhibition's theme - The Compass of Light - seeks to answer how light can guide movement and transform the landscape into a living, breathing gallery. Organized by Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism, it features 15 artists from 10 countries, including both Emirati and international creators. The artworks are not only on Jubail Island but also at cultural sites in Al Ain, offering visitors a true journey of light.

Gates Through Light: A Slow Walk in Nature's Rhythm

One of the first experiences for visitors on Jubail Island is the Gateway, a series of steel arches equipped with lasers and light fields. The fine mist filtering through the arches makes the light beams visible, transforming them into sheets of light that change with the wind. The American artist's goal was for visitors to slow down and perceive the slightest changes in the air and their surroundings.

Nature Moves the Light

The Dutch DRIFT collective's Whispers installation is set in a crescent-shaped sand dune. A field of hundreds of optical fibers bends in the wind, drawing new light forms in the embrace of the sand dunes with each passing moment. The artists aimed for nature to dictate the installation's behavior rather than the other way around, offering a different experience with each visit.

Interactive Spaces Where Visitors Become Artists

The works by Montreal's Iregular collective, including As Water Falls, Faces, Control No Control, and Fortunes, encourage not just observation but active participation. These installations use cameras and sensors to sense movement and touch, reacting in real-time to visitors' gestures. Children particularly enjoyed this part, as the projected visual world changed instantaneously to their hand movements or steps.

The Mirror That Shows Stars

The Argentine artist, known as Six N Five, added to the experience with a stunning mirror installation called Skyward. The mirror is tilted among the mangroves, reflecting the surrounding trees and sky. At the base of the mirror is a single, sculpted stone. As visitors approach, constellations slowly appear on the glass surface, as if patience and silence open the gates of light.

Delicate Details in the Sand: Eden

Malaysian artist Pamela Tan's installation Eden showcases a particularly sensitive approach. Glass spheres placed on the tops of thin steel rods collect and scatter light, which reflects in the sand and nearby vegetation. The work is not loud or dominant but rather draws attention to what might otherwise go unnoticed - the patterns in the sand, the silhouettes of leaves, the subtle shadows of light.

Moon in Hand: KAWS Sculpture in Abu Dhabi

One of the most striking creations is an iconic figure designed by a popular American artist and designer. The sculpture depicts a gigantic gloved character holding a glowing moon. After dark, the moon lights up, and the entire composition stands out dramatically against Abu Dhabi's horizon.

A Free Program for the Whole Family

Manar Abu Dhabi is not just for art enthusiasts - the interactive installations, the time spent outdoors, and the nature-centric experiences ensure children and the elderly alike find joy in it. Admission is completely free, and the exhibition can be visited until January 4, 2026. The event aims to bring art closer to the audience and offer a lasting experience while respecting and highlighting the beauty of nature.

Summary

Manar Abu Dhabi is not just an exhibition. It is an experience where light, landscape, and motion engage in a dialogue. The visitor is not just an observer but a participant, discovering at their own pace how nature becomes a museum and light an artist. Once again, Abu Dhabi proves that it can unite culture and innovation in a stunning setting accessible to everyone. Anyone visiting the Emirates this winter should not miss this unique, walkable light gallery.

(Source of the article: Manar Abu Dhabi press release.)