Subsoil resources have made the oil-producing countries of the Middle East as rich as Croesus. But the time has come for a change of strategy: with a lot of “starchitects” and partnerships with the most prestigious museums on the planet, the windfall of black gold now finances the transformation of the Gulf petromonarchies into tourist and cultural destinations. From the Louvre to the Center Pompidou, France has clearly understood its interest, which is pushing its pawns in the region. A soft power encouraged at the highest summit of the State. Even if it means turning a blind eye to human rights abuses in Riyadh and the reception of Russian oligarchs in Dubai.
France has long played a key role in the development of museums in the Middle East, leaving a lasting imprint on the regional cultural scene. Colonial expansion led to the creation of protectorates and tricolor mandates in several countries, from Syria to Lebanon. During this period, France had begun to exert its influence by contributing to the founding of educational and cultural institutions, such as the National Museum of Beirut.
This recognized French expertise in museum creation and management continues to flourish. One of the most notable recent examples is of course the Louvre Abu Dhabi, inaugurated in November 2017 on Saadiyat Island. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning French architect Jean Nouvel, this iconic UAE museum is partnered by Agence France-Muséums (AFM) and houses a collection of works of art tracing the history of humanity, Antiquity to the present day. The fruit of cooperation between the French and Emirati governments, the “first universal museum in the Arab world”, claimed as such, benefits each year from around a hundred loans of works from the Louvre, which also provides its expertise and organizes exhibitions there. temporary exhibitions. Amount of these high-end services: 1 billion euros. The Parisian institution will also receive 400 million euros until 2037 under the Louvre brand concession. Criticized at the time of its launch, the project and the spectacular building, topped with an aerial dome filtering light effects, now have a consensus… And emulation.
We know: Crown Prince Mohammed ben Salman, the strong man of Riyadh, is banking on art to bring about new centers of development. But to achieve this, building museums designed by big names in architecture is not enough. You still need to build up a collection of works to display in these luxurious settings or, better still, own these masterpieces that attract the crowds. In the absence of Mona Lisahe set his sights on the Salvator Mundi. The painting, acquired anonymously by a third party for $450.3 million at an auction at Christie’s in New York in 2017, became the most expensive work of art of all time. Only problem: presented by the auction house as an autograph Leonardo da Vinci, the portrait of this Christ “Savior of the world” divides the most eminent experts. After analyses, the Louvre thus estimated that the master of the sfumato had simply contributed to this work in his workshop. And the decision was made not to present it in the exhibition event organized in the great Parisian museum in 2019 for the fifth centenary of the death of the Renaissance genius. To date, the work has not been exhibited at the Louvre Abu Dhabi either… Will we one day see it in a Saudi museum?
Also designed by Jean Nouvel, the National Museum of Qatar, in Doha, was inaugurated in March 2019. Its architecture, which is inspired by the shape of a desert rose, combines modern and traditional elements. Inside, an immersive experience is guaranteed, with the help of state-of-the-art multimedia installations, throughout thematic rooms. The exhibitions highlight artifacts, archaeological discoveries, works of art and stories illustrating national history and culture.
Another major cultural project in the Qatari capital: Mathaf, designed by French architect Jean-François Bodin, who rehabilitated a former girls’ school. Since its inauguration in 2010, this modern art museum has showcased creators from the Arab world, from 1840 to the most contemporary, such as Ghada Amer or Kader Attia.
The Pompidou Center, for its part, announced in March 2023 that it will supervise, in partnership with the AlUla Royal Commission (RCU), a future contemporary art museum in the AlUla region, in Saudi Arabia. The new institution, called Perspective Galleries, designed by the Paris-based Lebanese architect Lina Ghotmeh, will benefit from the expertise of Beaubourg curators. Here again, French excellence is a trump card.
The fact remains that this cultural offering under French influence is not without sparking some debate. Some see this as a form of neocolonialism, arguing that the presence of our museums in the region is to the detriment of the development of local heritage. On the contrary, others believe that this movement reflects a demand for expertise from the States concerned, and testifies to the cultural influence of our country. In fact, from the Hôtel Lambert, on the island of Saint-Louis, a 17th century jewel once owned by the Emir of Qatar, to the Al-Thani collection presented on the first floor of the Hôtel de la Marine, place of Concorde, – for a rent of some 83,000 euros per month, paid for twenty years to the Center des monuments nationaux (CMN) –, Paris remains for the powerful princely families of the Middle East an unsurpassable model of elegance and culture .
AFALULA, at the heart of the Franco-Saudi partnership
This French agency is piloting a set of artistic projects in the northwest of Saudi Arabia
Founded in Paris, the French government agency results from a bilateral agreement signed on April 10, 2018 by France and Saudi Arabia at the Elysée. AFALULA pilots a set of artistic projects in AlUla, in the northwest of the country. This flagship project aims to highlight the heritage of this region rich in millennia-old archaeological sites to make it a leading destination. “AlUla aspires to become, thanks to the most advanced knowledge and techniques, a benchmark project in sustainable development, centered on the absolute preservation of the environment, respectful of history, territories and inclusive of the local population “, can we read on its website.
In January 2023, the former president of the National Museum of Asian Arts – Guimet, in Paris, Sophie Makariou, was appointed scientific director responsible for the culture and heritage division (archaeology, contemporary art and museums) of Afalula. The agency works in partnership with the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), the cultural arm of the Saudi government. A profitable synergy: in 5 years, some 250 contracts have been signed with French companies, for a budget of 1.6 billion euros.