Art News

Branches of the Louvre and Guggenheim at Abu Dhabi island hit by more delays

DUBAI (AP).- Branches of the Louvre and Guggenheim art museums being built as part of an ambitious cultural district in Abu Dhabi could now open at least a year later than planned, the developer and an official with knowledge of the projects said Saturday. Questions about the future of the Saadiyat Island cultural district have swirled among contractors in the Gulf for months. They came into sharper focus this week when the project’s government-backed developer disclosed that it was temporarily dropping plans to award a major construction contract. The Louvre branch, designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, was originally scheduled to open in 2012, but that date was later pushed to the following year. A national museum and the Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim were expected to follow in quick succession, with all three