Abstract
Museums and cultural developments are on the rise in the Gulf region. The United
Arab Emirates is home to some of the most ambitious and extravagant museum
projects in the world. In this article, I consider the example of the Louvre Abu
Dhabi, exploring some of its underlying dynamics and context. I focus mainly on
the relationship between branding and legitimation while placing my analysis within
a wider critical debate, which includes discussions on the link between museums
and identity, the legitimizing role of architecture, and the various contentious
concerns and controversies surrounding the Louvre Abu Dhabi project. I conclude
that the United Arab Emirates and other neighbouring countries have an excellent
opportunity for innovation in the cultural field if they are willing to critically and
ethically found their cultural developments on an ethos of inclusivity, openness,
experimentation, non-exploitation and curatorial courage.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 322-341 |
Number of pages | 20 |
Journal | Museum and Society |
Volume | 13 |
Issue number | 3 |
Early online date | 31 Jul 2015 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 31 Jul 2015 |
Keywords
- Branding, legitimation, Louvre Abu Dhabi, identity, power