exploring qatar's public art, from towering desert monuments to bold urban sculptures

Transforming Qatar into an Open-Air Art Gallery

Qatar is redefining the boundaries of creativity and accessibility with its public art program, spearheaded by Qatar Museums (QM). Through a dynamic array of installations that weave art into the fabric of daily life, the nation has turned its urban and natural landscapes into a living, breathing gallery. From the bustling streets of Doha to the serene expanses of the desert, Qatar’s public spaces showcase an extraordinary array of contemporary pieces, including monumental sculptures, and interactive murals. Art enthusiasts can find striking works at every turn: Hamad International Airport welcomes travelers with bold installations, while parks, stadiums, and vibrant cityscapes offer unexpected artistic encounters. Highlights include Richard Serra’s towering East-West/West-East in the desert, Olafur Eliasson’s ethereal Shadows Traveling on the Sea of the Day, and Louise Bourgeois’ Maman, a colossal spider sculpture standing at the Qatar National Convention Centre. Read on to discover some of the most iconic pieces of Qatar’s ever-expanding public art landscape.

Richard Serra (b. 1938, United States) East-West/West-East, 2014 weathering steel, 14.7 to 16.7 metres in height (each) Brouq Nature Reserve, Zekreet | photo © Iwan Baan courtesy of Qatar Museums

Richard Serra’s East-West/West-East

Nestled within a natural corridor shaped by gypsum plateaus, Richard Serra’s East-West/West-East stretches over a kilometer in length, traversing the Brouq Nature Reserve and connecting the Gulf’s waters. Unveiled in 2014, the installation features four towering steel plates, ranging in height from 14.7 to 16.7 meters, aligned precisely with each other and the surrounding gypsum plateaus. Despite the expansive distance between them, all four plates remain visible and accessible from either end of the sculpture. Created by world-renowned artist Richard Serra, East-West/West-East marks his second public piece in the Middle East, following 7, installed at MIA Park in 2011.

Richard Serra (b. 1938, United States) 7 (detail), 2011 Steel, 24.6 metres MIA Park | photo © Iwan Baan courtesy of Qatar Museums

Daniel Arsham’s Sports Ball Galaxy

Created by Daniel Arsham in 2012, Sports Ball Galaxy is a striking installation displayed at the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum. Measuring 6.3 by 7.8 meters, this chandelier-like sculpture features an array of sports balls—including basketballs, footballs, and cricket balls—crafted from foam-filled cast hydro-stone and pigment. The balls are strung along a steel cable, suspended from a ceiling-mounted bracket.

The single shadowy hue coating the balls reflects Arsham’s signature aesthetic, giving the piece a raw, unfinished appearance. This deliberate lack of color also alludes to the artist’s personal experience with colorblindness, encouraging viewers to question conventional uses of color. A hallmark of Arsham’s work, the theme of ‘erosion’ is evident in the weathered, deteriorated surfaces of the balls, creating the impression that the artwork exists in a liminal space between the contemporary and the ancient.

Daniel Arsham (b. 1980, United States), Sports Ball Galaxy, 2012, Cast Hydro-stone, 6.3 x 7.8 m, Qatar Olympics Sports Museum | photo © Iwan Baan courtesy of Qatar Museums

Damien Hirst’s The Miraculous Journey

Created by Damien Hirst in 2013, The Miraculous Journey is a powerful series of fourteen monumental bronze sculptures, ranging from 4 to 11 meters in height. Installed at the Sidra Medical Centre, a hospital dedicated to women and children, the artwork visually narrates the journey of human gestation—from conception to birth.

This thought-provoking installation forms a compelling dialogue with its location, celebrating the wonders of life while resonating with the hospital’s mission. As one of Hirst’s most audacious commissions, The Miraculous Journey has sparked conversations both locally and globally, ensuring its place as a catalyst for debate and reflection for years to come.

Damien Hirst (b. 1965, United Kingdom), The Miraculous Journey, 2013, Bronze, 4 to 11 metres in height, Sidra Medical Centre | photo © Iwan Baan courtesy of Qatar Museums

Louise Bourgeois’ Maman

Crafted from marble, bronze, and stainless steel, Maman stands an imposing 9.1 meters tall at the Qatar National Convention Centre, within Qatar Foundation. While abstract in form, Louise Bourgeois’ work is deeply autobiographical, exploring themes of betrayal, anxiety, and loneliness. This iconic steel spider, one of Bourgeois’ most celebrated creations, serves as a poignant tribute to her mother, a weaver in France, whose meticulous artistry and strength inspired the sculpture’s towering presence.

Martin Creed’s 1361

Martin Creed’s 1361 (2019–2021) is a striking neon installation measuring 170 by 4950 cm, now located in Sheraton Hall. Originally created in 1999 for a temporary commission in Hackney, the piece gained new significance when installed on the façade of QM Gallery Al Riwaq during Qatar’s blockade.

With its bold presence in the urban landscape, 1361 delivers a moment of reflection and reassurance to passersby, embodying Creed’s signature post-conceptualist style. Widely regarded as one of the great works of late 20th-century conceptual art, it continues to inspire and provoke thought in its new setting.

Martin Creed (b. 1968, United Kingdom), 1361, 2019, Neon, 170 x 4950 cm, Sheraton Hall | photo © Iwan Baan, courtesy of Qatar Museums

Urs Fischer’s Untitled Lamp/Bear

Urs Fischer’s Untitled Lamp/Bear (2005–2006) is a monumental bronze sculpture standing 7 meters tall, located in the Retail Gallery Departure Hall of Hamad International Airport (HIA).

This striking yellow bear, illuminated by a towering lamp, welcomes travelers with a playful yet evocative presence. The artwork celebrates the joy of travel and the nostalgia of revisiting childhood, transforming a simple toy into a whimsical and fully realized artistic creation.

Urs Fischer (b. 1973, Switzerland) Untitled Lamp/Bear, 2005-2006 Bronze, 7 x 6.5 x 7.5 metres Hamad International Airport (HIA) Retail Gallery Departure Hall | photo © Iwan Baan courtesy of Qatar Museums

Olafur Eliasson’s Shadows Traveling on the Sea of the Day

Created by Olafur Eliasson in 2022, Shadows Traveling on the Sea of the Day is a sprawling installation in Al Zubarah, featuring 20 mirrored pavilions arranged across 163.5 by 125.7 meters. Ten pavilions form a five-pointed star at the center, while the rest follow a precise fivefold symmetry inspired by quasicrystals and Islamic geometric patterns.

Each pavilion’s mirrored underside reflects its semi-circular frame as a complete ring, creating an illusion of objects piercing through reality and reflection. By incorporating visitors and surroundings into the mirrored surfaces, Eliasson crafts a mesmerizing and subtly disorienting experience.

Katharina Fritsch’s Hahn

Katharina Fritsch’s Hahn (2013) is a striking ultramarine-blue sculpture of a domestic cockerel, displayed at the Sheraton Hotel. Standing 4.72 meters tall, the piece was modeled after a taxidermy rooster, digitally scanned and enlarged to monumental proportions.

Fritsch’s work often begins with archetypal forms, which she transforms through dramatic shifts in scale and color. With its bold presence, the blue cockerel embodies the ethereal, immaterial quality characteristic of her art, turning an everyday subject into a powerful and surreal statement.

Katharina Fritsch (b. 1956, Germany), Hahn, 2013, Glass-fibre reinforced polyester resin fixed on a stainless-steel supporting structure, 440 × 440 × 150 cm, Sheraton Hotel, Katara Hospitality, Photo © Iwan Baan, courtesy of Qatar Museums

KAWS’ THE PROMISE

KAWS’ THE PROMISE (2022), located in the Dadu Garden of the Children’s Museum of Qatar, is a monumental bronze and steel sculpture measuring approximately 6.1 by 4.3 by 2.8 meters. The artwork portrays a parent and child captivated by a globe, blending familiar cartoon-like forms with deeply human emotions.

Commissioned for Dadu, THE PROMISE explores themes of family, environmentalism, global citizenship, and love. Its universally relatable imagery serves as a poignant reminder of our shared responsibility to care for one another and our planet, resonating with audiences of all ages. 

KAWS. THE PROMISE, 2022 | image courtesy Qatar Museums

Ernesto Neto’s Slug Turtle, TemplEarth

Ernesto Neto’s Slug Turtle, TemplEarth (2022), located in the Al Zubarah Desert, is a captivating tribute to the nations that participated in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. The installation features eight football goalposts arranged in an octagonal ring, with each post symbolizing four of the 32 competing nations.

This thoughtful work celebrates the unifying power of sports, bringing together athletes and spectators in a shared experience of connection and camaraderie.