Abu Dhabi (AsiaNews/Agencies) - At the Louvre Abu Dhabi gallery, one can find ancient sections of the Qur'an, alongside a 16th century statue of 'Christ Showing His Wounds' and a Torah, this according to senior project manager Celine Hullo Pouyat, who stressed that local authorities did not impose any constraint, allowing the exhibition of paintings, statues, books and artifacts of different cultures, including Christian and Jewish sacred objects.
On Tuesday, the Louvre Abu Dhabi gallery unveiled more than 130 artworks from the museum's first permanent collection, ranging from paintings by Picasso and Mondrian to Islamic miniatures.
"There are no red lines in this exhibition," said Olivier Gabet, deputy head of the curatorial department in charge of decorative arts at the Agence France-Museums.
Among the most famous pieces are Picasso's "Portrait of a Lady", Edouard Manet's "The Gypsy" and works by Paul Gauguin, Rene Magritte, Cy Twombly, Paul Klee, Piet Mondrian and Henri Matisse.
With the cooperation of leading European architects, the new building will be finished by 2015.
Abu Dhabi authorities have paid a record US$ 1.3 billion to use the Louvre name for 30 years and to tap the renowned Paris museum for artworks and expertise during this period.
Construction of the museum was expected to begin in 2010, but was suspended due to the economic crisis.