Chapter 444 - 228: Supreme Honor 4
Uncle Sakai has already accumulated over one billion dollars in artwork sales, yet he doesn’t dare to say he will have the chance to hold an art exhibition in the Louvre within his lifetime.
Indeed,
this Louvre and the one in France have quite significant differences.
But don’t underestimate the village chief.
An annex of a prestigious university is still prestigious, and the Louvre Abu Dhabi is still the Louvre.
This is not some knock-off.
The United Arab Emirates Royal Family collaborated with France, injecting enough cultural symbolism into the new museum in their capital to capture the world’s attention.
The museum can engage in collaborations too.
Just to use the name "Louvre," the UAE paid France six hundred million euros as a co-branding fee.
And that’s not even buying it,
it’s merely renting the usage rights for the next thirty years.
Who dares to say the Louvre Abu Dhabi isn’t the Louvre? Even if you ask the French government, they won’t give a different official answer.
Beyond the "Louvre" branding.
The museum itself is also the most modern, grand, and prominent art center on the Arabian Peninsula.
Its exhibit scale might not be comparable to the French Louvre or the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but globally, while it may not rank in the top ten, there’s no doubt it’s within the top thirty or fifty.
Da Vinci’s famous paintings, rented!
Napoleon on Horseback’s classic images, rented!
Van Gogh’s self-portrait, rented!
Mondrian’s most classic geometric works, bring them all!
The Louvre Abu Dhabi should be the world’s strangest museum.
Scholars describe institutions like The British Museum as akin to armed robbers storming into homes and looting artworks, representing a style of imperial collections.
Even in the 21st century, it retains an indelible imperial tint.
Meanwhile, the wealthiest sheikhs of the oil-rich nation, draped in cloth, have created an unprecedented way to open museums.
With money speaking, if they can buy, they buy at high prices.
Is it a national treasure you don’t want to sell? No problem, we’ll rent it at a high cost.
A few years ago, the Louvre Abu Dhabi just began its operations, and now it already boasts a collection of famous artworks.
Having a solo art exhibition in a gallery marked with so many master’s imprints is an extremely prestigious honor for all renowned painters around the world.
Gu Weijing pulled out a promotional page printed on copper coin paper from the textbook.
[Ma Shi Gallery’s Represented Artist Dike Anren - "Meditations on History" (Historical Thoughts Solo Art Exhibition)]
[2017.5.9—2017.7.9]
The promotional page is exquisitely printed, composed of a blend of black-and-white and color.
An invisible dividing line separates the main hall of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, with two backs facing each other on the left and right.
In the black-and-white side stands an old man wearing baggy linen clothes and long-legged stockings, with a head of messy hair.
This attire is most common for Italian men during the Renaissance, representing Da Vinci.
And in the colored photo on the right stands a middle-aged man in profile, naturally representing Ma Shi Gallery’s current lead artist Dike Anren.
On the promotional page, there are two picture frames,
and in front of Da Vinci is none other than the Louvre Abu Dhabi’s treasured "La Belle Ferronnière" as mentioned by Professor Walter.
In front of Dike Anren, the frame is covered with a mysterious brown velvet cloth.
This highly design-focused and almost religiously solemn promotional page was a gift from the big boss Ma Shi III through his agent Hanks to Gu Weijing.
Ma Shi Gallery and the Louvre Abu Dhabi have a long-term strategic partnership.
From this May to July, right after the end of the Islamic fasting month, Ma Shi Gallery will host a solo art exhibition for its lead artist.
If Gu Weijing can win an award at the Lion City Art Exhibition.
Next year,
Ma Shi Gallery will give this opportunity to Gu Weijing.
Holding a solo art exhibition in the Louvre at the age of 19,
Unprecedented!