Qatar Museums Expands Public Art Program With 40 New Installations

In addition to dozens of artworks already installed, Qatar will be exhibiting over 40 new sculptures turning public areas into an outdoor museum and showcasing the works of renowned international artists such as Kaws, Simone Fattal, Jeff Koons, and Yayoi Kusama. Yayoi Kusama, a Japanese artist, will introduce several temporary works around the Museum of Islamic Art. These include My Soul Blooms Forever, a monumental collection of vibrant stainless-steel flowers, and her polka-dot sculpture Dancing Pumpkin. Koons, known for his animal balloon sculptures, has designed a stainless-steel dugong that measures about 69 ft tall and 100 ft wide. The mirror’s smooth sculpture of the endangered dugong can be found in Al Masrah Park.

Among the local talents, newly announced works include works by Qatari and regional artists such as Adel Abidin, Ahmed Al Bahrani, Salman Al-Malek, Monira al Qadiri, and Simone Fattal, and Faraj Daham. In addition, works are displayed by prestigious names such as Ernesto Neto, Ugo Rondinone, Rashid Johnson, Fischli & Weiss, Faye Toogood, Lawrence Weiner, and Franz West. Once international and local artists complete the mass public art program, Doha will be home to more than 100 outdoor sculptures.

The public art program is managed and owned by Qatar Museums and spearheaded by Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa Bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, declared one of the most influential art collectors.