Impressive Works of Art in Qatar

Qatar has an impressive collection of public pieces of art by international artists around the country. Here's a list of must sees

Posted on

14 November 2016

| Last updated on 13 June 2017

Cultural excellence has been of particular importance to Qatar and there is a lot of effort being put into making the country a cultural instigator. You will find that there is no shortage of public art around the country. Here are some that we found particularly impressive!

Impressive Works of Art in Qatar

*All photos courtesy of www.

qm.org.qa

1. The Challenge 2015 by Ahmed El Bahrani
Displayed at the Lusail Multi-Purpose Sports Hall, this is a series of bronze sculptures portraying large hands reaching for the sky. El Bahrani is an Iraqi artist renowned for his large, thought-provoking sculptures. He completed this installation in only five months.

2. Healthy Living by Anne Geddes
This is a series of photographs depicting Qatari athletes with children or newborn babies. The photographs are meant to show human potential and how a healthy lifestyle begins during childhood. The pictures aren't placed in a gallery, but rather in the hallway of Hamad Women’s Hospital.

SEE ALSO: Traditional Qatari dishes you must try

3. The Miraculous Journey by Damien Hirst
These are 14 bronze sculptures that narrate the extraordinary process of life creation, from conception to birth. Starting with a fetus and ending with a 46ft baby boy, this installation is placed in front of the Sidra Medical Centre. Hirst is known for his controversial, startling pieces.

4. Maman by Louise Bourgeois
This giant spider sculture is bound to stop anyone walking through the Qatar National Convention Centre. A striking installation made with marble, bronze and stainless steel, it depicts a protective mother carrying her eggs. While an uncommon way to capture motherhood, Bourgeois drew on her own life experiences, inspired by her mother who used to repair tapestries in a textile shop.

5. Perceval by Sara Lucas
You might have spotted this out outside of Aspire Park. It’s a bronze sculpture of a life-size horse with a cart containing marrows. This is the only piece of public art that belongs to Lucas and it was previously displayed in New York.

6. Smoke by Tony Smith
Standing impressively at 34ft tall, this is an aluminium sculpture located at the entrance of the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre. It’s a combination of geometric components and it was first designed in 1967.

SEE ALSO: Sightseeing in Qatar

7. Lamp Bear by Urs Fischer
If you’ve travelled through Qatar’s Hamad International Airport, you couldn’t have missed this giant teddy bear. A sure way to remind you of childhood, this sculpture is a 23ft yellow teddy bear made of bronze with a lamp on top of its head.

8. Gandhi’s Three Monkeys by Subodh Gupta
This is made up of three head sculptures with a gas mask, a soldier’s helmet and a terrorist’s hood. Inspired by Gandhi’s famous metaphor, each piece is created with everyday tools, such as glass bowls, cooking instruments and Indian lunch boxes. You will find it located in the center of Katara.