The Seed: a show at the cutting edge of design honors the UAE’s national holiday

This curious cube that rises several meters above the water level is The Seed. Located in the mangrove area of Jubail Island, in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, this installation honors the 49th UAE national holiday by retracing parts of its history. 

Composed of a rotating cube on which enigmatic images are projected, the object seems to come from elsewhere. In fact, it is an exhibition of kinetic art, made of light, sound and music, with an air of optical illusion. This giant work of art was created by the famous British artist and scenographer Es Devlin, to whom we owe many works such as the British pavilion at the 2020 Universal Expo in Dubai. 

Growth spurt

The Seed is actually a metaphor for the growth of the UAE. During the National Day ceremony, a young Emirati boy opened the show with an illuminated seed intended to represent the beginning of the union and development of the country. A speech followed, accompanied by animations projected on the cube, focused on the development and cultivation of the said seed, with a view to reaping its fruits in the future. The installation was the centerpiece of the show attended by the country’s leaders. Visitors can now enjoy a “lighter” version of the exhibition until January 30.