Qatar’s top ten sculptures that will blow your mind

For travellers with an eye for art, Qatar offers some of the most unique cultural experiences in the Middle East. The country has a long-standing commitment to making exceptional art accessible to all and is home to a diverse range of some of the world’s most impressive public art by globally known, thought-provoking creatives, including Richard Serra and Damien Hirst. With several contemporary sculptures and statues in the country, the progressive style of many of the monuments makes Qatar a haven for fans of modern art.

With world-class art free to everyone exploring the eclectic streets of the capital, Doha’s outstanding collection of public sculptures, such as the Miraculous Journey by Damien Hirst and ‘7’ by Richard Serra, makes the city a walking museum for keen culture enthusiasts.

Venturing out to the desert will not disappoint, as East-West/West-East—a truly epic and mind-blowing art installation—can be seen on a visit to the limestone rock formations outside Zekreet.

But then again, you can actually spot some of Doha’s impressive pieces right at the airport, such as the giant Lamp-Bear, which takes centre stage in the grand foyer at Hamad International Airport.

Qatar National Tourism Council shares the best of Qatar’s outstanding public art to see in 2021.

Top 10 sculptures to visit in Qatar in 2021

1. East-West/West-East monoliths by Richard Serra

Qatar is home to four monoliths, built in a secretive fashion until they were unveiled by Richard Serra.

Comprising four steel plates, each of which is over 14 meters in height, the installation spans over 1 kilometer. The monoliths are positioned between limestone rock formations in the desert outside Zekreet.

2. Lamp Bear by Urs Fischer

Tourists passing through Doha on a stopover can experience the unique mix of art and culture before even leaving the airport.

Located in Hamad International Airport’s duty-free area is Lamp Bear, a 23-foot plush teddy bear sitting under a lamp. The sculpture, created by Urs Fischer, is designed to be both humorous and comforting, reminding travelers of childhood or precious objects from home.

3. The Miraculous Journey by Damien Hirst

The Miraculous Journey, housed at Sidra Medical and Research Center, comprises 14 monumental bronze sculptures illustrating the development of a fetus.

The piece ends with a statue of a 46-foot-tall anatomically correct baby boy and attests to the beauty of an extraordinary process.

4. Maman by Louise Bourgeois

A giant spider made of marble, bronze, and stainless steel, Maman by Louise Bourgeois amazes visitors inside the Qatar National Convention Centre.

Taking its name from the French word for ‘mother’, the sculpture explores the meaning of motherhood and strength. Featuring a sac containing 32 marble eggs, the colossal structure is among the world’s largest sculptures. It measures over 30 feet high and over 33 feet wide.

5. Gandhi’s Three Monkeys by Subodh Gupta

Centrally located in Katara Cultural Village, the thought-provoking Three Monkeys by Subodh Gupta features three head-shaped sculptures in military gear: one wears a gas mask, another a soldier’s helmet, and a third a terrorist’s hood.

Each piece is made of cooking implements, used pails, traditional Indian lunch boxes and glass bowls. Together, they recall Gandhi’s visual metaphor of the three monkeys that represent the ‘see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil’ proverb.

6. ‘7’ by Richard Serra

Soaring nearly 80-feet above the MIA Park, ‘7’ by Richard Serra, at the Museum of Islamic Art Park, is a steel homage to the spiritual significance of the number seven in Islamic culture; a metaphor for infinity or completion.

7. Smoke by Tony Smith

Smoke, by Tony Smith, sits at the entrance to the Doha Exhibition & Convention Centre (DECC).

Open and inviting, profound yet serene, the giant geometric components of this 24-foot tall sculpture, which includes five tetrahedrons and forty-five extended octahedrons, dominate the space.

8. Flying Man by Dia al-Azzawi

Designed by Dia al-Azzawi, the Flying Man at Hamad International Airport comprises two sculptures commemorating flight. Both are inspired by Bin Firnas or Armen Firman, an early flight experimenter whose derring-do included leaping from the Great Mosque in Cordoba in 852 AD to test his new machine made of a silk cloak reinforced with wooden rods to form wings.

8. Pouce by César Baldaccini

Pouce by César Baldaccini is a giant thumb marking a crossroads in Doha’s authentic and vibrant marketplace, the Souq Waqif.

Its highly polished bronze patina reflects the surrounding light and is a cheeky addition to the bustling atmosphere of the otherwise traditional location.

10. The Force of Nature II by Lorenzo Quinn

The Force of Nature II sits at the Katara Amphitheatre on the waterfront.

The large bronze sculpture, which has sister installations in London, New York and Shanghai, was created by Lorenzo Quinn. This Qatar sculpture depicts Mother Nature as a woman hurling the planet in circles. 

Source: Qatar National Tourism Council through PR Newswire

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