Abu Dhabi reintroduces Al Hosn
The opening of Al Hosn site will be marked by a week-long celebration from December 7 to 15, with free tours, events and musical performances
ABU DHABI: His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, visited the Al Hosn site in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed said, “The tradition of the past and the originality of the heritage blended with artistic creativity were manifested today in the opening of the historical cultural “fortress area” after its renovation in the heart of Abu Dhabi.
“A landmark that embodies an inspiring cultural and social history for us and for the future generations. We will remain faithful to the ancestral values AND SACRIICES of this Good land. We commemorate it for our next generations.”
The Capital’s historic Al Hosn will be opened to the public on December 7, from 4pm onwards with a week of events and programmes to mark the occasion.
The opening of Al Hosn site will be marked by a week-long celebration from December 7 to 15, with free tours, events and musical performances. The opening week hours from Sunday to Thursday will be 10am to 10pm and from Friday to Saturday (14th and 15th) it will be 10am to 11pm. Al Hosn comprises four interrelated components: the historic Qasr Al Hosn Fort, the National Consultative Council building, the House of Artisans and the Cultural Foundation.
The newly renovated premises of the Cultural Foundation will host a diverse programme in its new Visual Arts Centre, including a landmark inaugural exhibition focusing on the building’s history as a beacon for UAE artists, in addition to the exhibition halls featuring workshops and art studios.
During the media tour of Al Hosn site on Tuesday Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT), said, “Qasr Al Hosn embodies the heritage of Abu Dhabi, and a poignant witness to the historic and fundamental milestones in the development of our country.
“At the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, we are proud to re-introduce this cultural monument after it has been preserved, restored and renovated to become part of Al Hosn, an unparalleled cultural destination in the heart of the city,” he added.
100 ARTWORKS
Moreover, ‘The Early Years,’ an exhibition with Emirati artists at the Cultural Foundation, will relect on THE reason for the important artistic and cultural role that this institution has played in the community.
“The Early Years’ exhibition features more than 100 artworks by artists who played a key role in the institution’s early years.
Al Mubarak said, “The Cultural Foundation was a gathering place, a home for exchange and debate and a beacon for intellectual inspiration. Many of our UAE Artists HAD THEIR irsts THERE, THEIR irst Introduction to Art, irst EXHIBITION, irst sale of An Artwork.”
It also comprises a 900-seat theatre AND THE irst CHILDREN’S LIBRARY of Its kind which will open in 2019.
‘The Early Years’ will open in the Cultural Foundation’s central exhibition hall, where a series of seminal sculptures will be on view. These date back decades to some of the earliest work by Emirati artists, including works of art by Dr Najat Makki, Hassan Sharif, Mohammed Yousif, Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, and others.
Alongside these, modern sculptures and new commissions by these artists and subsequent generations will be featured, including work by Azza Al QUBAISI, JALAL Luqman AND more.
Qasr Al Hosn is the oldest and most signiicant HERITAGE site In ABU DHABI city, encompassing two iconic buildings: The Inner Fort, which was built around 1795, to protect the settlement of Abu Dhabi established on the island in the 1760s, and the Outer Palace, built in the 1940s.
The Inner Fort exhibition traces the story of Qasr Al Hosn and the many historic events it has witnessed, exploring the settlement of Abu Dhabi island, everyday life in the Fort and showing how this historic landmark was once both a ruling family home and a busy administrative centre.
Outer Palace was constructed by Sheikh Shakhbut Bin Sultan Al Nahyan in the 1940s. The rooms display the stories of the people who lived in the Palace and their everyday lives.
Moreover, the visitors will explore the personal quarters of Sheikh Shakhbut Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, or part of the Ruler’s Majlis. Films, interactive displays and oral histories bring these stories to life, together with original artefacts and treasures from the past.
Tickets for the Qasr Al Hosn permanent exhibition are Dhs30. For pricing on ticketed workshops and events, please visit www.alhosn.ae.