Something magical is happening in the desert of Abu Dhabi right now, man-made magic brought to fruition by nature, which changes, transforms, and mutates, like the wind. A proponent of this magic is Jim Denevan, a contemporary American artist who celebrates the ephemeral and eternal beauty of nature.
His new installation, living, breathing work, is located in the desert of Abu Dhabi. Made only of sand and moved by the wind, it is one of the largest, most majestic, and most fascinating masterpieces ever created by man in collaboration with Mother Nature.
A new installation in the desert of Abu Dhabi
Self Similar that’s the name of Jim Denevan’s latest installation, turned the arid desert into an open-air museum it provides a truly breathtaking view to anyone who arrives here. We are in Abu Dhabi, more precisely on Fahid Island, among the dunes overlooking the sea.
It was here that the American artist decided to create an extraordinary work of land art, possibly the largest ever created by man. A moving masterpiece that transforms and never remains the same, reminding us of all the majesty of Mother Nature.
Self Similar is distinguished by 19 concentric circles that expand outwards and upwards. These were recreated through hundreds of pyramids more precisely 448, which when carefully arranged – and viewed from above – evoke the shape of an ephemeral and beautiful mandala.
But it is also an absorbing work, where the visitor is invited to become an integral part of the artistic process. The space between the pyramids can be explored on foot. The last feeling is that you are inside a sand labyrinth that transports you to dreamlike dimensions.
Self Similar, as we have assumed, is a living work that mutates and transforms, just like human beings and nature. Because of the wind and the weather that hit Fahid Island, the sand pyramids rise and fall, move and transform, and speak of the vulnerability and power of nature.
Self Similar to how to visit a majestic work of land art
As we assumed, Self Similar is located on Fahid Island in Abu Dhabi. The work is part of the Public Art Abu Dhabi program, an inaugural event supported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, which includes 35 site-specific works in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
Self Similar will be visible and visible until January 30, 2024. In addition to walking between the pyramids, visitors can climb two dunes that have been converted into observation points that allow them to admire the entire landscape from above. However, the core of the work will allow people to think about geometric symmetry and its connection with nature.
Advice? Stay in the dunes until sunset. When the sun gives way to twilight, the installation transforms into a sparkling light show thanks to the presence of thousands of solar lanterns.