A striking new public art installation has arrived outside the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, bringing together pearl diving heritage, contemporary art and the natural world.
Homesickness by Emirati artist Farah Al Qasimi is now on view as part of the Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial. The installation features five large oyster sculptures, each incorporating sound and light elements inspired by the UAE’s maritime past.
The work draws on Abu Dhabi’s pearl diving history, reimagining it through a contemporary lens. As visitors approach the sculptures, concealed speakers play a composition based on Tob, Tob Ya Bahar, a traditional chant sung by pearl divers’ wives.
Positioned around the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, the installation creates a thoughtful link between the emirate’s seafaring heritage and the Gulf’s marine ecology, themes that connect closely with the landscapes and ecosystems explored inside the museum.
Farah Al Qasimi, who was raised in Abu Dhabi, is known for her multidisciplinary practice spanning photography, video, performance and installation. Her work often explores identity, everyday life and the impact of globalisation, combining documentary-style observation with surreal, dreamlike imagery.
Earlier this year, Al Qasimi was also named among the medallists in the Emerging Artist category of the Art Basel Awards.
Homesickness is on view outside the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi as part of the Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial.
