In the heart of the **UAE**, the glow of artistry will soon transform landscapes into living canvases. **Organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi)**, **Manar Abu Dhabi** is more than a public light art exhibition — it is a poetic invitation to experience the emirate’s diverse natural and cultural treasures through the language of light.
For its second edition, the festival will bring together **15 Emirati and international artists and collectives** from **10 countries**, presenting **23 spellbinding works** that span site-specific sculptures, dynamic projections, and interactive installations. Under the theme **"The Light Compass"**, curated by Khai Hori with co-curators Alia Zaal Lootah, Munira Al Sayegh, and Mariam Alshehhi, Manar Abu Dhabi 2025 will bridge light's navigational power with its deeply emotive essence.
Taking place across **Jubail Island, Souq Al Mina, and for the first time, Al Ain**, the festival will illuminate the emirate from **1 November 2025 to 4 January 2026** in Al Ain, and from **15 November 2025 to 4 January 2026** in Abu Dhabi. Each location offers a journey where art, nature, and heritage converge.
Jubail Island – Where Nature Meets Light
At the heart of Manar Abu Dhabi 2025, **Jubail Island** will serve as the anchor, weaving light into its lush landscapes and verdant mangroves. The sprawling boardwalks will guide visitors past **EDEN (2025)** by Pamela Poh, an enchanting expanse of suspended glass spheres glowing against the night, and into **UNFOLD (2025)** by DRIFT, where technology turns personal biometric data into delicate, ephemeral flowers accompanied by gentle soundscapes.
The sensory journey continues with **WHISPERS (2025)** — a sea of dancing lights responsive to the faintest movement — and **WIND OF CHANGE (2025)**, a drone performance rippling with energy. Emirati sculptor Shaikha Al Mazrou’s **CONTINGENT OBJECT (2025)** transforms subtly with the crystallisation of salt over time, harmonising with nature’s own rhythms. Meanwhile, digital art studio **Iregular** will activate the island with AI-driven works such as **AS WATER FALLS** and **FORTUNES**, blurring the boundaries between audience and artwork.
These experiences are not isolated; they are interconnected moments in a larger narrative, created by global talents like Ezequiel Pini, Christian Brinkmann, Kirsten Berg, Encor Studio, and Lachlan Turczan. Together, they turn Jubail Island into a radiant theatre of imagination.
Al Ain & Souq Al Mina – Illuminating Heritage and Horizons
For its debut in **Al Ain**, Manar Abu Dhabi will light up **Al Qattara** and **Al Jimi Oases**. In Al Qattara, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer’s **TRANSLATION STREAM (2023)** and **PULSE CANOPY (2025)** invite visitors to quite literally see their own heartbeat travel through beams of light. Emirati designer Khalid Shafar’s **SADU RED CARPET (2025)** transforms heritage weaving into an immersive pathway, connecting tradition with contemporary artistry.
Meanwhile, the lush **Al Jimi Oasis Trail** hides within its palm groves a series of installations, from Ammar Al Attar’s **CYCLE OF CIRCLES** to Maitha Hamdan’s ethereal **BREATH OF THE SAME PLACE**. Visitors will encounter architectural elegance in Abdulla Al Mulla’s **GUIDING DRAPES**, and playful biophilic interaction through Christian Brinkmann’s **FLORAL RESONANCE**. Each piece invites you to slow down, observe, and connect.
Finally, **Souq Al Mina** provides a bold contrast to the intimacy of the oases. Here, the city skyline meets the water as **KAWS: HOLIDAY Abu Dhabi** takes centre stage with an illuminated **COMPANION** gently lifting a moon, creating a striking visual that bridges pop culture with the serenity of the port.
A Final Glow
From the serene boardwalks of **Jubail Island** to the shaded oases of **Al Ain** and the urban shores of **Souq Al Mina**, **Manar Abu Dhabi 2025** is a celebration of light as memory, guide, and poetry. It is an invitation to wander, wonder, and be transformed. As the **UAE** continues to embrace its cultural role on a global stage, events like this prove that art can illuminate far more than landscapes — it can light the path within us.
