Across the Indian Ocean: Art Here 2026 traces the ties that bind India and the Gulf
A handwritten letter from a wife in Kerala to her husband working in Abu Dhabi tells of the life he is missing. His mother is growing older, their child is getting taller and the family continues to wait for his return. A collection of cassette players and radios recalls a time when messages travelled across the Arabian Sea, carried by returning workers and fellow travellers. Before mobile…
Indian artist Reena Kallat's installation, Shorelines of Longing, is featured at Louvre Abu Dhabi's Art Here 2026 exhibition. The piece draws inspiration from a handwritten letter from a wife in Kerala to her husband working in Abu Dhabi. The letter mentions the life her husband misses and the emotional toll of migration on families.
Sound recordings from that era help maintain connections between separated families. Kallat's work, set to music inspired by traditional correspondence, explores the emotional sacrifices made by generations of migrant workers. One visitor recalled longing to spend more time with a father who regularly sent gifts. Art Here 2026, now in its sixth edition, is a partnership between various countries and is presented by Swiss watchmaker Richard Mille.
It also hosts the annual Richard Mille Art Prize, awarding $60,000 to a selected artist. Curated by Kamini Sawhney, Art Here 2026 extends the narrative of Spices and Wonders: Sailing the Indian Ocean exhibition, which showcased historical objects from maritime trade and cultural exchange between Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and Asia.
The exhibition aims to highlight the ongoing connections between India and the Gulf, emphasizing the forgotten confluences of history, faith, cuisines, and more.
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