ArtDayME: Louvre Abu Dhabi and Swiss luxury watchmaking brand Richard Mille have announced the six shortlisted artists for the sixth edition of Art Here and the Richard Mille Art Prize 2026, following a highly competitive selection process that attracted more than 300 proposals. This year’s edition expands the initiative’s reach to include Indian artists alongside participants from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), highlighting the longstanding cultural connections between India and the Gulf.

The selected artists are Saudi Arabian artist Ahaad Alamoudi, Emirati painter Almaha Jaralla, Malaysian artist and designer Muhammad Shamin Sahrum, based in Dubai, and Indian contemporary artists Ravikumar Kashi, Reena Kallat and Vivek Vilasini.

Curated by Kamini Sawhney, the exhibition centres on the theme Confluences, exploring connections shaped by centuries of trade, migration and cultural exchange across the Indian Ocean. The shortlisted artists will develop their proposals into new works to be presented beneath Louvre Abu Dhabi’s iconic dome from 11 November 2026 to 28 February 2027.

Each artist brings a distinct perspective to the exhibition. Alamoudi explores history, representation and the evolving relationship between cultural identity and visual language in Saudi Arabia. Jaralla, whose practice centres on textiles and pigment, examines memory, movement and inherited histories across the Arabian Peninsula and the wider Indian Ocean region. Sahrum investigates the visual language of everyday urban life, revealing shared experiences shaped by migration, movement and community.

Kashi is known for his interdisciplinary approach and innovative use of diverse media, while Kallat examines political and social borders and their lasting effects on land, people and nature. Vilasini explores structures of knowledge, politics and identity through digital and sculptural media.

The jury comprises Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, art collector and patron; Dr. Guilhem André, Director of Scientific, Curatorial and Collections Management at Louvre Abu Dhabi; Kamini Sawhney, former founding Director of the Museum of Art and Photography in Bengaluru and guest curator of Art Here 2026; and Maya Allison, founding Executive Director of the Art Galleries and Chief Curator at New York University Abu Dhabi.

Commenting on the selection, Sawhney highlighted the artists’ willingness to innovate, from fragile assemblage to immersive installation, and expressed hope that the exhibition would foster an unexpected dialogue between diverse artistic practices, histories and materials.

Dr. André described Art Here as an important platform for contemporary artistic practice, offering artists the opportunity to engage with the museum’s universal narrative through ambitious new commissions.

The winner of the Richard Mille Art Prize 2026 will receive a US$60,000 award, to be announced later in the season.