The Swatch x LOUVRE ABU DHABI collaboration unites the work of two artists in a single, eye-catching watch – and is the first of its kind in the history of Swatch’s collaborations with celebrated museums, which kicked off in 2018.
Hokusai meets The Astrolabe
Combining Katsushika Hokusai’s powerful and iconic Japanese artwork with the sophisticated Astrolabe artifact by Muhammad ibn Ahmad Al-Battûtî creates a fresh, new masterpiece for wrists worldwide. To celebrate the launch of THE GREAT WAVE OFF KANAGAWA BY KATSUSHIKA HOKUSAI & THE ASTROLABE watch, an immersive room dedicated to Hokusai will open in the heart of Louvre Abu Dhabi on April 27, 2023, for one month. Here, visitors can experience Hokusai’s instantly recognizable water wall in a new and exciting way designed to ignite the senses. Visitors to Louvre Abu Dhabi will also be able to view the artworks in the museum’s permanent collection that inspired the Swatch design: ‘The Great Wave Off Kanagawa’ which will be displayed for a limited time, and the ‘Astrolabe’.
The Great Wave Off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai & The Astrolabe
Hokusai shows that creativity has no limit, as he was 60 years old when he designed his most famous print, ‘The Great Wave Off Kanagawa,’ part of the iconic Japanese series ‘Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji.’ The willingness of men to explore the oceans and the unknown, to be face to face with the power of nature, water, and the night sky, envelop this Swatch in Prussian blue tones that come straight from Hokusai’s artwork. On the dial and front side of the watch strap is a close-up image of the cresting wave that cleverly plays with perspective to make Japan’s grandest mountain appear as a small triangular mound within its hollow. The underside of the watch depicts elements from Muhammad ibn Ahmad Al-Battûtî’s ‘The Astrolabe,’ an exquisite example of an instrument used in antiquity in many ways, including as an aid in navigation.
“We are pleased to partner with Swatch to launch a Louvre Abu Dhabi watch as part of their exclusive Swatch Art Journey Collection. These watches are truly outstanding as they are inspired by artworks from museums around the world, and are a testament to the limitless potential of art. For Louvre Abu Dhabi’s watch, we selected two artworks from our growing permanent collection, The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai and The Astrolabe by Muhammad ibn Ahmad Al-Battûtî. As the first universal museum in the Arab world, we have always remained committed to sharing art and culture with the world, and with Swatch’s ingeniousness, together, we have been able to showcase art reimagined through these unique timepieces, bringing art even closer to people each day,” said Manuel Rabaté, Louvre Abu Dhabi Director.
For more information on the Swatch Art Journey capsule collections featuring Swatch x MoMA, Swatch x Magritte and Swatch x LE GALLERIE DEGLI UFFIZI, please visit here.
