The Louvre, Abu Dhabi is a partner museum of the actual Louvre. It is spacious and spare, with plenty of room to linger over the pieces that interest you. I was drawn to a display of architectural embellishments, each in the form of a human head and dated to around the 5th century BCE. The interesting thing to me was that the three heads carved around the same time, came from very different places: sub Saharan Africa, Central America, and the Greek Mediterranean. The objects are so obviously different in style and presentation that it is no surprise that they are from different regions of the world. And yet, according to the museum placard, these cultures independently began using the human face in architectural design. I love this! Humans from across the globe tapping into a common idea. As someone who believes so deeply in the value of community, this resonates with me on a spiritual level.
Jay and I thoroughly enjoyed our time at the Louvre. It was very well done and the air conditioning was divine.
Next we met Trellace at the beach! Trellace’s plan was for us to witness an Abu Dhabi sunset. What a sight to behold!
Though I’ve only encountered the one American–as far as I know–there are plenty of American businesses. Here are a few.
Random observations:
- I was wrong about the vending machines! I saw one last night.
- People aren’t that different. At Baker‘s concerts parents watch their children through cell phones as they record the event for posterity. At the Louvre, Abu Dhabi, patrons look at art–ancient works, renown artists, rare finds–through their phone camera, snapping a shot of the work before taking a pic of the title panel, then moving right on to the next display, camera out and ready.
- And speaking of cell phones: I saw a couple today looking at art, oohing and ahhing over its beauty. Meanwhile, their child set in a stroller, face down, watching a cartoon on a device. It made me think of how my sister and her husband took their toddlers, Emma and Mitch (now all grown up), to art museums. The kids would make 3D versions of the art, posing their bodies and faces like the masterpieces before them. Today, they both have an appreciation for art and Emma is a graduate student in an art program in Rome.
We leave Abu Dhabi Saturday morning for a weekend road trip! Details to come.
