Globes Visions of the World – 2500 years of history
Louvre Abu Dhabi announced on March 21st its second exhibition Globes Visions of the World opening to the public on 23 March until 2 June 2018.
The press conference included speeches from His Excellency Ludovic Pouille, French Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Manuel Rabaté, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, Sylviane Tarsot-Gillery, Director General of Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF), and Chief Curators Catherine Hofmann and François Nawrocki.
A hundred and sixty globes, rare archaeological remains, coins, magnificent scripts or prints, astrolabes, world maps and paintings, originating mainly from the collections of Bibliothèque nationale de France will guide visitors throughout the 2500 years’ of history representing the world.
Manuel Rabaté, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, said:
“This exhibition offers an exceptional opportunity to construct a comprehensive narrative linking astronomy, geography, religion and philosophy, by examining different symbols and representations of the Earth.
In this way it fits perfectly within the ethos of Louvre Abu Dhabi – to narrate the story of mankind. Bibliothèque nationale de France has had curatorial responsibility for this exhibition, and it has been humbling to meet these incredible curators who have spent their lives in the pursuit of knowledge and excellence.
I would like to extend special thanks to Catherine Hofmann, Chief Curator at Bibliothèque nationale de France, and François Nawrocki, Chief Curator and Deputy Director at Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève.
I would also like to pay tribute to Jean-Yves Sarazin, a curator who was central to this project, who sadly passed away before its completion.
Through history we discover our common influences, common links, common heritage and therefore our common humanity. New perspectives continue to surprise us and make us humble: history is reflective, in that it shows us who we are.”
Catherine Hofmann, Chief Curator at Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF), and François Nawrocki, Chief Curator and Deputy Director at Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève, said:
“The exhibition starts with three magnificent instruments and artworks of the 17th century: a celestial globe, a terrestrial globe and an armillary sphere that is a model placing the Earth at the centre of the universe.
Through these three types of objects displayed throughout the exhibition, you will discover the birth and development of a vision of the world that travelled across centuries and civilisations enriching multiple contributions, not only through experiences and observations but also by mathematics and philosophy.
These spheres are exhibited among many documents and objects that shed light on their context, uses and symbolic association from antiquity to present day.”
Special Performance
Acrobat Yoann Bourgeois will defy laws of gravity illustrating Foucault’s pendulum and his myth. Audiences can share an unprecedented experience of La Balance de Lévité twice daily on 22-24 March at 4 pm and 6 pm in front of the museum’s entrance.
Visitor Information
Louvre Abu Dhabi hours are: Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, 10 am–8 pm; Thursday and Friday, 10 am–10 pm. Last entries and ticket purchases end 30 minutes prior to closing. The museum is closed on Mondays. Special visitor hours will be in effect during Ramadan and some holidays.
General admission tickets are 60 AED (excluding 5% VAT). Tickets are 30 AED (excluding 5% VAT) for visitors ages 13-22, UAE education professionals, and members of the military.
Admission is free for members of the museum’s loyalty programme, children under the age of 13, ICOM or ICOMOS members, journalists, visitors with tickets to workshops and auditorium events, and visitors with special needs and their companions.
Special exhibitions are open during public hours and are free with museum admission.
Other Exhibitions at Louvre Abu Dhabi
During Globes Visions of the World at Louvre Abu Dhabi, visitors can also view From One Louvre to Another: Opening a Museum for Everyone (until 7 April 2018), curated by Jean-Luc Martinez, President-Director of musée du Louvre, and Juliette Trey, Curator of Prints and Drawings Department at musée du Louvre, as well as Co-Lab: Contemporary Art and Savoir-faire (until 6 May 2018) at Louvre Abu Dhabi’s Forum.
Globes Visions of the World will then travel to Paris, where it will be seen at Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) in Spring 2019.
