What’s up with people exporting culture? This city confuses me. Actually, not this city, but it’s a small country – so it’s all kind of the same. I just don’t understand how can culture be bought. I know, the world is a “small village”, and that we cannot run away from this crazy melting pot – but you cannot buy culture. You cannot build a branch of a museum in your town to guarantee a spot on the hot cities list – or compete with your neighbours who are having it really, really good with their plastic architecture, and false hopes of having the city of the future.
Malls. And shopping festivals. And pop stars. And Guinness book records. And artificial islands don’t make great civilizations. Nor does buying your legacy. Or maybe that’s what the new age dictates.
Fake + Lots and lots of money + Severe lack of taste + Extreme fascination with extravagance = The way to go.
I know it is old news that the Louvre is coming to Abu Dhabi, for $520 million – makes think how far can this go?
Hmm, maybe Egypt will start selling “authentic” copies of the Sphinx! Or maybe we’ll have mini-Great Walls of China distributed to selected cities.
The Louvre has always been associated with France, now why would anyone want to go to Abdu Dhabi to see it? Wouldn’t it make a lot more sense to use that money, to build a museum as big and as great as the Louvre but actually has to do with UAE culture?
Frankly,
what Abudhabi and Dubai are doing is really amazing.
For the first time in modern Arab history things like this are attempted. Largest, Highest, and just craziest ideas are actually being implemented. Making UAE a real destination for anyone seeking thrills
That used to be reserved only for the west! Now, I hear the name Abu Dhabi and Dubai more than I hear New York. And to tell you the truth, I’m so proud of it!
Isn’t this better than spending this money on Haifa?
And Guess what, for 500Mil, Egypt would really consider moving one of the pyramids to UAE! But why bother? 1/2 a billion would build you your own world-wonder-class useless monument
What they’re doing building wise is great and we all should be proud of it. But I don’t see the point of “buying” someone else’s culture to attract more visitors when you can do the same using your own culture.
IMO, what they are doing development-wise is fantastic, it’s just that you can’t really buy the rights to open up a branch of a museum like the Louvre and think you’d be taken seriously art-wise/culture-wise, and I’m not saying that it’s AD’s govt’s fault solely, the French are idiots to agree to sell the rights. But I guess money can buy anything.
Why not put the money to a better use? Like encouraging local art talents, and trying to create a true local art scene with less boundaries, red lines and big No-No’s?