Inaugural Louvre Abu Dhabi Fellows: Cross-Cultural Research

Louvre Abu Dhabi has announced the very first group of scholars selected for its brand-new Fellowships and Grants Programme. This exciting news marks a special moment for the museum. It chose five scholars from different cultures and countries. They were picked from 173 people worldwide who applied in a tough competition. The idea of this programme is to encourage new learning and fresh ideas in the study of art and the past.

Purpose of the Programme

The programme wants to support new research in many fields—including art history (stories of art), museum studies (how museums work), archaeology (digging up old things), heritage science (studying ancient items), and conservation (saving old objects). The museum has excellent facilities to help researchers. These include the Resource Centre, the Conservation Centre, and a Scientific Laboratory. The lab is the first of its kind in the Gulf region. With these resources, scholars can do deep investigation and connect with experts.

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What Researchers Will Do

Each scholar will spend time at the museum, using its collections, displays, and research tools. They will work on original projects. This means discovering new views and re-telling stories of art, culture, and history. The museum hopes that by including views from the Global South and other diverse backgrounds, these stories will be richer and more inclusive.

The research will be guided by three main themes:

1. Global History of Museums and Collections – This theme explores how museums and collections have developed all around the world.

2. Circulation of Styles, Images and Texts – Here, scholars look at how art, images, and writing move across places.

3. Precious Materials and Routes of Exchange – This topic studies rare materials and the ways they were traded in the past.

Meet the Five Scholars

Here is an easy-to-read list of the five chosen scholars and what each of them plans to research:

1. Hamid Keshmirshekan (UK) – Short-Term Fellow

• He works at Columbia University and used to teach at SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies in London).

• His project is called "De-centring the Canon: Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Challenge to Eurocentric Art History."

• He will study how the museum includes Middle Eastern modern and contemporary artists in its stories—challenging traditional European-focused views (what people used to think was "the main story").

2. Helena Barranha (Portugal) – Short-Term Fellow

• She is a professor at Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, and also works at the Institute of Art History in NOVA FCSH.

• Her project is "The Multiple Images of a Cosmopolitan Museum: Mapping the Visual Representations and Architectural Reinterpretations of Louvre Abu Dhabi."

• She looks at how people see and share the museum building—especially through social media—and how digital tools like AI are changing how they think about museum spaces.

3. Mizuho Ikeda (Japan/UK) – Long-Term Fellow

• She is a researcher and teacher at SOAS, University of London, working in Southeast Asian Studies.

• Her project, "Universal Museums and Religious Diversity: A Comparative Analysis of Exhibition Practices at Louvre Abu Dhabi and Museums in Asia," compares how sacred artworks—like those from Hindu and Buddhist traditions—are displayed and understood by visitors.

4. Rhomaillessa Talhaoui (Morocco/France) – Short-Term Fellow

• She studied at Université Paris Cité.

• Her project is "The Transimperial Circulation of Early Pictures of Mecca (1880–1920)." She will explore how early photographs of Mecca moved across religious, colonial, and trade networks, and how local photographers played important roles. She also wants to challenge Western-only views of these photos.

5. Suhaila Almansoori (UAE) – Short-Term Fellow

• She is a historian and works in cultural heritage in the UAE. She got her BA in History and Archaeology (with a minor in Film Studies) from UAE University, and is now doing her master’s at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi. She also takes part in archaeological digs.

• Her project is "Pre-Islamic Christian Heritage in the United Arab Emirates: An Evaluation of the Sīnīya Island Archaeological Site." She studies a 6th–7th century Christian monastery found on Sīnīya Island, Umm Al Quwain. In the 2025 dig, she discovered a special basket made of palm frond and coated with bitumen. Her research will involve that artifact.

Financial Support and Fellowship Details

The programme gives two types of fellowships:

• Short-Term Fellows receive AED 85,000 (approximately USD 23,000) for a research stay of three months.

• Long-Term Fellows receive AED 245,000 (around USD 67,000) for nine months.

These funds help cover living costs, research expenses, and travel.

What Happens Next?

Later in 2025, the museum will open a second call for proposals. This means more people or research teams can apply. The programme will then also support joint research with other institutions—like other museums, universities, and research centres. This step will make the programme even stronger, helping build international teamwork and creative scholarship.

Why This Matters

This programme shows how Louvre Abu Dhabi wants to be more than a museum—it wants to be a place for learning and new ideas. By inviting scholars from different regions and traditions, it hopes to create richer stories about art and history. It also supports research that is inclusive and global.

This big news is about the launch of Louvre Abu Dhabi’s Fellowships and Grants Programme and its first group of five selected scholars. Each scholar brings a unique project, whether it's challenging old art histories, studying digital views of architecture, comparing sacred displays, uncovering local photography traditions, or digging into Christian heritage in the UAE. The generous funding and excellent research resources will help them accomplish important work. Soon, the programme will grow, supporting even more scholars and international partnerships. Together, these efforts aim to bring people and cultures together, telling art and history stories that belong to everyone.

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