Imagine a desert island in Abu Dhabi, transformed into a vibrant art gallery under the stars. Manar Abu Dhabi, a captivating light art exhibition, illuminated Jubail Island with 22 awe-inspiring artworks. Lasers, mirrors, steel, glass, and fibre optics were used to create a unique fusion of technology and nature, showcasing the relationship between light, land, and movement. The exhibition, organized by the Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), featured works by 15 Emirati and international artists from 10 countries, with a focus on the theme 'The Light Compass'.
One of the first installations visitors encounter is Gateway, a mesmerizing row of steel arches fitted with lasers and light planes by US-based artist Lachlan Turczan. Fine mist passing through the arches makes the beams visible, creating shifting sheets of light along the walkway. Turczan designed Gateway as a slow path, allowing the light to change with the wind, ensuring every passage is unique. Visitors are encouraged to notice the subtle variations in the air and the environment.
Further inside, a new commission by Dutch collective DRIFT, titled Whispers, captivates with a field of vertical fibre-optic stems that move with the wind. Set within a crescent-shaped dune, the illuminated stems sway gently, creating patterns that change every few seconds. DRIFT's co-founder emphasizes the artwork's direct response to nature, where the landscape leads the piece, and the breeze recomposes the field.
The installation Public Squares by Montreal-based collective Iregular introduces an interactive element. Four works, As Water Falls, Faces, Control No Control, and Fortunes, respond to touch and motion. Cameras and sensors track movement, and when people interact, the visuals change in real-time. Daniel Iregui, the founder of the collective, believes the audience completes the artwork, as no moment is ever the same.
Argentinian artist Ezequiel Pini, known as Six N Five, presented Skyward, a mirrored installation among the mangroves. A large, tilted mirror reflects the surrounding trees and sky, while a single sculpted stone sits at its base. When visitors walk close, constellations appear on the mirrored surface through an LED system, encouraging a moment of stillness and reflection.
Pamela Tan's installation, Eden, features slim powder-coated steel stems topped with glass spheres. The spheres catch and reflect light, creating a subtle glow across the sand and nearby plants. Tan's design aims to frame the existing landscape, drawing attention to small details that might otherwise be missed.
Manar Abu Dhabi, open until January 4, 2026, offers free entry to all visitors, providing an accessible and immersive art experience in a unique desert setting.
