Mexican art legacy in Doha

Besides the energetic and high-spirited cheering by Mexican football fans during the tournament’s group stage, the football-loving nation has also left some cultural and artistic pieces of legacy in Doha.
Two unique sculptures, ‘Oryx’ and ‘Humpback Whale’ by Mexican Artist Rodrigo Solorzano were installed at Katara – Cultural Village and represent Qatar and Mexico as they symbolise the endemic animals native to each region.
“We are working to build an enduring bridge between Mexico and Qatar, through sports, cooperation, culture and art; the two sculptures created by Rodrigo Solorzano constitute yet another symbol of the positive dialogue and understanding between the two nations; a genuine act of public diplomacy,” Mexican ambassador to Qatar Guillermo Ordorica Robles told Gulf Times.
The envoy joined Mexico’s Foreign Affairs Secretary Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon, Katara general manager Prof Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al- Sulaiti, and Katara’s Public Diplomacy Centre CEO engineer Darwish Ahmed al-Shaibani at the unveiling of the installations in November.
The sculptures were donated to Katara in time for the FIFA World Cup 2022, underlining the friendship, excellent relations, and further cultural exchanges between the two nations.
‘Oryx’ and ‘Humpback Whale’ also form part of Solorzano’s latest project, ‘Bestiario’. A reinterpretation of paper toys, this collection consists of a range of steel and aluminium sculptures inspired by the ancient art of origami.
Through an exploration of fold and form, his traditional figures are transformed into creatures of our century. This collection invites us to rethink the distinctions between the functional and the artistic, between design and play.
Described as a ‘compendium of beasts’, bestiario or bestiary – a fictional place – originates in the ancient world and these medieval books highlight all the animals that people can imagine: from the common to “legendary creatures that no one has managed to document yet.”
This product series combines creatures from various families and regions like ancient bestiaries. Animal figures take new forms from new materials. This collection is not limited to combining the contemporary with the traditional; as a continuation of Solorzano’s past works, he invites people to rethink the distinctions between the functional and the artistic, between design and play.
Bestiario was digitally created from the start and prepared to be electronically manufactured using mostly computer-aided machines. The result is a series of industrial sculptures born from the union of technological efficiency with the poetic inspiration of art.
The works of Solórzano – an industrial designer who often ventures into the art world – found solace in various countries globally such as the London Parliament, catwalks in Japan, and a luxury hotel in Morocco.
The artist’s numerous collaborations led him to explore the world of fashion and robotics, manufacturing health allies, and enriching childhood landscapes. His work is a meditation on the limits between aesthetics and practicality, in which the contradiction between utility and beauty disappears.