Challenging Eurocentric art history, the circulation of early pictures of Makkah and the pre-Islamic Christian heritage of the UAE are among the research projects selected as part of Louvre Abu Dhabi’s inaugural Fellowships and Grants programme.
The initiative is designed to support new inquiry in the fields of art history, museum studies, heritage science, conservation and archaeology. Five scholars were selected from a pool of 170 submissions from around the world.
The programme offers both short and long-term fellowships to scholars. Short-term fellows receive an award of Dh85,000 for a three-month residency, while long-term fellows are granted Dh245,000 to support a nine-month research project.
The first cohort of fellow scholars will have unprecedented access to Louvre Abu Dhabi’s facilities, including its research centre, conservation centre as well as a state-of-the-art scientific library that is touted to be “the first of its kind in the Gulf region”.
The fellows will work closely with the museum’s collection to research what expands our understanding of art history and culture, embracing a polyphony of cultural perspectives, especially those from the Global South.
Here are the inaugural programme’s five fellows as well as their projects.
Hamid Keshmirshekan
Hamid Keshmirshekan is a senior scholar at Columbia University and a former teaching fellow at the School of Oriental and African Studies (Soas) in London. The British scholar has been selected as one of the short-term fellows of the programme.
His project, De-centring the Canon: Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Challenge to Eurocentric Art History, investigates how Louvre Abu Dhabi incorporates modern and contemporary Middle Eastern artists into its universal narrative. Through this lens, he examines curatorial approaches that question Eurocentric frameworks and creates room for alternative art histories.
Helena Barranha
Helena Barranha is a Portuguese professor at the Instituto Superior Tecnico in the University of Lisbon and a researcher at the Institute of Art History of the NOVA University of Lisbon’s Faculty of Social and Human Sciences.
Also selected as a short-term fellow, Barranha brings a project titled The Multiple Images of a Cosmopolitan Museum: Mapping the Visual Representations and Architectural Reinterpretations of Louvre Abu Dhabi.
The project examines how the museum’s architecture reflects cultural convergence and is reinterpreted by the public, particularly through social media. She also investigates how digital tools, including AI, are transforming the perception of museum spaces.
Mizuho Ikeda
A research associate at the Centre of Southeast Asian Studies and a teaching fellow at Soas, Mizuho Ikeda is the programme’s only long-term fellow.
Her project, Universal Museums and Religious Diversity: A Comparative Analysis of Exhibition Practices at Louvre Abu Dhabi and Museums in Asia, explores how Hindu and Buddhist artworks are presented at Louvre Abu Dhabi. The British-Japanese scholar examines curatorial strategies and visitor engagement in the display of sacred art within a global, multi-faith context.
Rhomaillessa Talhaoui
A graduate of Universite Paris Cite, Rhomaillessa Talhaoui is a French-Moroccan scholar whose work focuses on the circulation and reinterpretation of early photographs of Makkah between 1880 and 1920.
In The Transimperial Circulation of Early Pictures of Makkah (1880–1920), she traces how these images moved through colonial, religious and commercial networks. It highlights the contributions of local photographers and challenges western-centric interpretations of early photography in the region.
Suhaila Almansoori
Suhaila Almansoori is an Emirati historian and cultural heritage professional, currently pursuing a master’s degree in archaeology and cultural heritage at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi.
Her project, Pre-Islamic Christian Heritage in the United Arab Emirates: An Evaluation of the Siniya Island Archaeological Site, builds on her archaeological fieldwork at Al Sulaimi in the Al Ain region and the Christian monastery from the sixth or seventh century uncovered at Siniya Island in Umm Al Quwain. Her current research focuses on a rare palm frond basket coated with bitumen, which was discovered earlier this year.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
States of Passion by Nihad Sirees,
Pushkin Press
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
RESULTS
Bantamweight: Victor Nunes (BRA) beat Azizbek Satibaldiev (KYG). Round 1 KO
Featherweight: Izzeddin Farhan (JOR) beat Ozodbek Azimov (UZB). Round 1 rear naked choke
Middleweight: Zaakir Badat (RSA) beat Ercin Sirin (TUR). Round 1 triangle choke
Featherweight: Ali Alqaisi (JOR) beat Furkatbek Yokubov (UZB). Round 1 TKO
Featherweight: Abu Muslim Alikhanov (RUS) beat Atabek Abdimitalipov (KYG). Unanimous decision
Catchweight 74kg: Mirafzal Akhtamov (UZB) beat Marcos Costa (BRA). Split decision
Welterweight: Andre Fialho (POR) beat Sang Hoon-yu (KOR). Round 1 TKO
Lightweight: John Mitchell (IRE) beat Arbi Emiev (RUS). Round 2 RSC (deep cuts)
Middleweight: Gianni Melillo (ITA) beat Mohammed Karaki (LEB)
Welterweight: Handesson Ferreira (BRA) beat Amiran Gogoladze (GEO). Unanimous decision
Flyweight (Female): Carolina Jimenez (VEN) beat Lucrezia Ria (ITA), Round 1 rear naked choke
Welterweight: Daniel Skibinski (POL) beat Acoidan Duque (ESP). Round 3 TKO
Lightweight: Martun Mezhlumyan (ARM) beat Attila Korkmaz (TUR). Unanimous decision
Bantamweight: Ray Borg (USA) beat Jesse Arnett (CAN). Unanimous decision
Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
- It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
- Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
- Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
The specs: 2018 Ford Mustang GT
Price, base / as tested: Dh204,750 / Dh241,500
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 460hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque: 569Nm @ 4,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.3L / 100km
South Africa squad
Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen (wicketkeeper), Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada.
Ronaldo's record at Man Utd
Seasons 2003/04 - 2008/09
Appearances 230
Goals 115
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
Indoor Cricket World Cup Dubai 2017
Venue Insportz, Dubai; Admission Free
Day 1 fixtures (Saturday)
Men 1.45pm, Malaysia v Australia (Court 1); Singapore v India (Court 2); UAE v New Zealand (Court 3); South Africa v Sri Lanka (Court 4)
Women Noon, New Zealand v South Africa (Court 3); England v UAE (Court 4); 5.15pm, Australia v UAE (Court 3); England v New Zealand (Court 4)
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Kandahar%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ric%20Roman%20Waugh%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EGerard%20Butler%2C%20Navid%20Negahban%2C%20Ali%20Fazal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
'Laal Kaptaan'
Director: Navdeep Singh
Stars: Saif Ali Khan, Manav Vij, Deepak Dobriyal, Zoya Hussain
Rating: 2/5
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
