By IANS,
Dubai : Work on a new museum of Middle East modern art has been launched here at the initiative of Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Located in Dubai’s Culture Village on the banks of Khor Dubai or Dubai Creek, the museum is being designed by Netherlands-based architectural firm UN Studio, which would bring together elements of the sea and Dubai’s tradition of seafaring, the state-run Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.
“The museum will be a manifestation of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s strategic vision of making the UAE a hub for multicultural understanding,” Sheikh Majid Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, chairman of Dubai’s Culture and Arts Authority was quoted as saying.
“The museum will be a celebration of the region’s artists and art. It will also celebrate Khor Dubai’s importance as a cultural hub within Dubai as a global city,” he added.
The launch of the new museum comes following a decree issued by Sheikh Mohammed establishing Dubai’s Culture and Arts Authority and the recent launch of the Khor Dubai project, which is aimed at highlighting the cultural diversity in the UAE.
Apart from the new museum, Culture Village will include an amphitheatre for live performances and international cultural festivals, an exhibition hall and smaller museums displaying local and international art, as well as a shipyard for traditional dhow builders.
It will also include residential, commercial and retail zones.