The Cultural Office and Piaget collaborate to launch inaugural art project

The Cultural Office of Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is collaborating with Swiss luxury watchmaker and jeweller ‘Piaget’, to launch a new art project across the UAE, as part of a Memorandum of Understanding agreement signed at Art Dubai 2017.

The project will challenge UAE-based artists to deliver a unique art installation, reflecting the commitment of both organizations to nurture the UAE’s flourishing arts movement and provide upcoming artists with a platform to push their creativity to new heights. 

The theme of the art installation project is the ‘Sunny Side of Life’, reflecting a culture of joy inspired by radiant moments and sparks of happiness from a life lived under the sun in some of the most beautiful places in the world. The theme represents art de vivre; an invitation to live life to the fullest and dream big.

UAE-based artists are now being invited to submit their portfolios for review by The Cultural Office Committee, and five shortlisted artists will be announced in June. The winning artwork will be produced and showcased as a central art piece in the Piaget Lounge at Art Dubai 2018.

The MoU agreement between The Cultural Office and Piaget has been established to strengthen cooperation between the two organizations, and was signed by Mona Bin Kalli, Director of The Cultural Office and Chabi Nouri, CEO of Piaget, during the 11th edition of Art Dubai.

Commenting on the project and expressing her aspirations for the new partnership with Piaget, Mona Bin Kalli said: “This collaboration reflects our joint vision and the unwavering commitment of Her Highness Sheikha Manal to nurture local artists, and we’re very proud to be working with Piaget to provide emerging talent with new and unique opportunities to develop their skills and unleash their creativity. The project will provide a key platform to identify and support UAE-based artists, bringing them to the international forefront and providing them with the exposure they deserve. We are confident that this initiative will open doors for artists of all disciplines to push the boundaries of their creativity, and contribute to the UAE’s thriving cultural and arts scene.”

Chabi Nouri added: “With its endless sun and its boundless energy, Dubai has become a formidable arbiter of style and emerging trends, a place like no other where life is to be enjoyed to the fullest under the warm sun. “In fact, Dubai welcomed Piaget during the 1960s as one of the first watchmaker-jewellers to establish itself in the region with its daring and unconventional creations. Perhaps an early sign of a shared passion for creativity, innovation, audacity and that unmistakeable joie-de-vivre that Piaget is showcasing through the Sunny Side of Life at Art Dubai.”

“Dubai is definitively a place where the sky is the limit, where everything and anything becomes possible. In partnership with The Cultural Office, Piaget is thrilled to give a chance to new and young talents of the region. The creation of the nominated new designer will be displayed during our exhibition in March 2018 at Art Dubai.”

Artists can submit their entries via info@theculturaloffice.ae. The deadline for submissions is June 3, 2017.

About The Cultural Office:

The Cultural Office of Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was established in 2013 to serve as a leading platform to develop and activate substantial art movements as milestones within the region that will fortify the UAE's standing as a global hub for culture and creativity. Combining the best art practices and concepts from around the world, then tailoring it to respect and preserve our legacy and culture in the Arab world for International recognition, the projects undertaken by The Cultural Office are carefully selected to help raise the profile of the pool of talents existing in the region, based on the understanding that the cultivation and training of emerging talent is essential to ensure sustained excellence in the arts.

About Piaget

The unique allure of Piaget lies in the audacity of its style. Charismatic and flamboyant, dazzling watch and jewelry creations embody the radiance that defines the Maison. This passion for daring creativity was born in La Côte-aux-Fées, where Georges-Edouard Piaget set up his first workshop in the family farmhouse and devoted himself to producing high-precision movements. This was back in 1874 and marked the start of an ever-growing reputation. In 1943, the company took a decision that would prove crucial to its future by registering its brand name. 

Faithful to its pioneering spirit, in the late 1950s Piaget set about designing and manufacturing the ultra-thin movements that would become one of the Maison’s signatures and leave a lasting imprint on the art of watchmaking.

But Piaget has also always represented a style: a marriage of gold and an explosion of color, new shapes, precious gems, and dials made of hard stones. Swept to new heights of creativity driven by Yves G. Piaget, the Maison’s jewelry collection grew in an original direction with a resolute emphasis on color, giving birth to the iconic Piaget look. Building on over 140 years of history, the ever-bold Maison continues to innovate by offering jewels in motion, elegant and extravagant High Jewelry collections, as well as remarkable watches. In a world unconstrained by boundaries, Piaget the watchmaker-jeweler continues to explore unexpected creative possibilities, turning gold, stones and gems into brilliant works of art.