Qatar Museums unveils new public art installations at HIA

Under the patronage of its Chairperson, HE Sheikha al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Qatar Museums (QM) and Hamad International Airport (HIA) have added a number of renowned pieces of public art to the outstanding collection currently on display and enjoyed by passengers travelling through HIA. Two new pieces have been installed by QM for passengers and visitors to experience at Qatar’s airport: “Al Koora”, created by volunteers from Qatari-based non-profit organisation Reach Out To Asia (Rota) in collaboration with Qatari artists, and Desert Horse, a unique and striking sculpture by acclaimed Qatari artist Ali Hassan. This is Hassan’s third piece of art that now has a permanent home at HIA. The new pieces of public art will join the growing collection of paintings, sculptures and installations by local and international artists at the airport. Currently on show at the airport are works by four Qatari artists including Amal al-Raban, Ali Hassan, Mubarak al-Malik and Salman al-Malik, all displayed in the Oryx and Al Maha lounges. Mansoor bin Ebrahim al-Mahmoud, acting chief executive officer of Qatar Museums, said: “At Qatar Museums, we are committed to enriching the lives of all those who live in and visit Qatar. Crucial to this is our public art programme which creates memorable cultural experiences outside of our museums and galleries including in striking spaces such as HIA. We are proud to be adding more world-class art to the exquisite collection already on display at HIA, to inspire the millions of visitors and residents who fly through the airport each year. These new works create a powerful and ambient presence and further underline our commitment to investing in talented Qatari artists.”Engineer Badr Mohammed al- Meer, chief operating officer at HIA said: “HIA prides itself for being an innovative exhibition space. Art is an integral part of HIA, having been designed to house permanent and temporary exhibitions. Passengers are exposed to a diverse set of artistic media including paintings, sculpture, electronic and interactive installations.  Our airport terminal is a public space that welcomes millions of people every year and is therefore an ideal space to interact with art. The exposure that such a venue gives artists, especially budding Qatari artists, is exceptional.”Al Koora is a project developed by the Rota Volunteer programme. Rota is an organisation that empowers local communities by providing access to quality primary and secondary education to children affected by crisis across Asia. Forty children with special needs from seven different institutions collaborated with students from Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar (VCU-Q) and aspiring artists to create a work of art that represents Qatar through different elements. This reflects both the character of its people and secondly, its natural environment – in the past, present and future. Several paintings, drawings and poems were assembled to form this iconic standing landmark, created as a gesture of gratitude to HH the Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, for winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar bid. Acclaimed Qatari artist Ali Hassan’s Desert Horse captures the history and the spirit of travel in Qatar in the past. The iconic sculpture, measuring 8m x 6m, was created using a range of intricate sculpting techniques to closely interpret the spirit of travel and the flow of movement, to signify how the Bedouins travelled in history. The artwork is an interpretation of the iconic desert horse and represents different forms of the Arabic letter “ن” (“n”). QM has worked with local, regional and international artists for over six years to commission and acquire artworks for key locations in and around Hamad International Airport. The art comprises of a mix of site-specific creations as well as pieces which have been carefully selected for the airport. The first international installation, Lamp Bear by Swiss artist Urs Fischer, was installed in a prominent location in the centre of the airport. Dutch artist Tom Claassen has produced a series of sculptures of the Oryx, an antelope native to the Arabian Peninsula, which appear as a herd in the arrivals hall of the airport. The airport currently also houses Arctic Nurseries of El Dorado by British artist Marc Quinn, and Untitled by Italian artist Rudolf Stingel.Public Art is a central programme in QM’s mission to push the boundaries of the traditional museum model and to offer cultural experiences in public spaces. The art installed at Hamad International Airport supports this goal as well as the pillars of Qatar’s National Vision 2030 including education and engagement with Qatari society.Hamad International Airport-Qatar is an award-winning airport with services and facilities which include Qatar Duty Free, a premium shopping emporium with more than 40,000 square metres of combined retail and dining with more than 70 boutiques and 30 cafés and restaurants. HIA-Qatar also boasts an airside hotel, two airside squash courts, a gym, a 25-metre swimming pool and spa, all within easy reach of the departure gates. The airport also features two runways with dual capacity, one of the largest free span maintenance hangars in the world, a cutting-edge two-storey cargo facility and one of the world’s largest self-contained catering facilities.