Qatar Museums Installs New Public Artworks in Doha

The Supervisory Committee for the Beautification of Roads and Public Places in Qatar (Ashghal) and Qatar Museums have built a number of public artworks throughout the city as part of their intentions to turn the nation's landscape into a large outdoor art museum experience.

The Doha Modern Playground (2022), a site-responsive playground inspired by a collection of six important modernist buildings in Doha, was created by Shezad Dawood at Al Masrah Park. The Doha Mountains (2022), by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone, is on display along Doha's Ras Abou Aboud beachfront near Stadium 974. It echoes the colors of the Olympic Ring that surround the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum.

Here We Hear (2022), a collection of sculptures by Korean artist Suki Seokyeong Kang, is located at Corniche Park. Monira Al Qadiri's Zephyr (2022), a large-scale recreation of a microscopic organism seen in fossilized marine algae found in the Arabian Peninsula, is situated at West Bay's North Beach.

Al Jassasiya (2022) by Qatari artist Salman Al Malek is an installation inspired by The AlJassasiya site; Toub Toub Ya Bahar (2022) by Qatari artist Salman Al Malek is located at the Corniche waterfront and is inspired by an old song from Qatar. These immersive installations by Brazilian artist Ernesto Neto, Qatari artist Salman Al Malek, and Brazilian artist Ernesto Neto pay homage to the natural The phrase means "Oh sea, have mercy on the sailors!"

Jeff Koons' inflatable Dugong (2022) is a mammoth form that is over 21 meters tall and over 31 meters long, gliding effortlessly through a marine habitat; it is a new icon at the Corniche in Doha honoring Qatar's natural heritage; Iraqi artist Ahmed Al Bahrani, who is based in Qatar, celebrates a dugong family in Al Ruwais, highlighting the dugong's significance as a part of Qatar's history and commitment to protecting the species.

Mohammed Al Atiq, a Qatari artist, created Acacia-Tree Seeds (2022), which uses images of the Acacia Tree's seeds to represent the good and negative aspects of people and to emphasize the duality of both humanity and art.

Additionally, Shua'a Ali, a Qatari artist, took inspiration for Milestones (2022) on Grand Hamad Street from location markings (Neshan) and construction waste that can be found in both urban and desert settings.

Director of Public Art for Qatar Museums, Abdulrahman Ahmed Al Ishaq, stated: "It has been an honor to work with Ashghal to install these magnificent pieces of art by renowned local, regional, and international artists, and we appreciate them for their kind assistance. These works have turned Qatar into an outdoor canvas, and Qatar Museums welcomes locals and tourists to enjoy them."

Eng. Mohammad Arqoub Al Khaldi, Chairman of the Supervisory Committee for Beautification of Roads and Public Places in Qatar, stated: "Displaying artworks in public places like parks and beaches is part of the committee's commitment to increasing the presence of art all around us. As this plays a significant role in showcasing Qatar's cultural identity to visitors and also benefits Qatar's citizens and residents."

More than 40 new and commissioned public artworks have been installed by Qatar Museums throughout Doha in a variety of public spaces throughout 2022, including parks and shopping centers, schools and gyms, Hamad International Airport and Q-Rail stations, as well as some stadiums hosting World Cup games.