Stone-Ideas.com 
The Public Art Biennial is taking place in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi until April 30, 2025. The venues are the downtown area in the capital Abu Dhabi and in the city of Al-Ain, about 160 km away on the border with Oman. As part of the show, 70 local and international artists are presenting sculptures, installations or performances that revolve around the theme of “Public.“
The background is a positioning: Traditionally, the culture in the emirate, with 1.5 million inhabitants and an area of 972 km², is characterized by values such as hospitality and generosity – behaviors that are associated with the nomadic peoples of the desert. But the country is now characterized by immigration – 82% of its inhabitants come from elsewhere, including a high proportion of highly qualified people who are interested in the well-paid jobs there.
Abu Dhabi has a “diverse population,“ says a concept paper from the Department of Culture and Tourism, the organizer of the Biennial. By displaying or performing works of art in public spaces, the aim is to raise citizens’ awareness of the place and the community: “The Biennial is a tribute to the importance of public art, a valuable resource that should be available to everyone.“
In addition to the Public Art Biennial, there is also the Manar Abu Dhabi, which alternates every year. “Manar“ means lighthouse in Arabic, so the focus here is on art with light. It took place for the first time in 2023.
“Interspecies Assembly“ by artist group “Superflex“
From the Public Art Biennial, we are showing the work “Interspecies Assembly“ by the Danish artist group “Superflex.“ It is a circle of stones made of Portuguese pink marble in the Capital Parc. It is intended to be a meeting place where people and other living beings come together and share their awareness of the world for a while – those present are to explicitly listen to the sounds and noises that the other living beings make in the public park.
This generally contains a criticism of people who see themselves as the crown of creation: “[“If they give up their human exceptionalism and learn to listen, they might recognize the agencies and voices of other life forms,” the artists write. “With the aim of enforcing a state of idleness on humans so that other species can flourish, an ‘Interspecies Contract’ is carved into the sculptures, in both Arabic and English, encouraging visitors to change their behavior.”
“Interspecies Assembly“ is commissioned by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi for the Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial, 2024. Development and production by KWY.studio.
Photos by Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial 2024 – 2025 ©️ Lance Gerber
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