Sand as far as the eye can see and suddenly dark towers that seem to rise from the ground. To see the work of the American artist Richard Serra in the Qatar desert, the visitor must be curious and… motivated. Located 70 km from the capital Doha, the installation is called “East-West/West-East” (“East-West/West-East”) and consists of four rusted steel towers each more than 14 meters high. and stretches for over a kilometer.
Known for its vast landscapes, this stretch of wilderness within the Brook Reserve is isolated and accessible only by 4×4. Few road signs indicate the area, and cars getting stuck in the sand are not uncommon, said Firas, a Syrian who has worked as a tour guide in Qatar since 2006. Not to mention that the temperature can rise to 50 degrees Celsius, which is likely to be depressing. even those most interested in contemporary art.
Abdulrahman Al Ishaq, Director of Public Art at Qatar Museums, which is responsible for managing the museums, admits that it is not easy to go and think about installing a famous American artist. But he compares the way to get there “pilgrimage”. “The discovery of a work of art begins with the path taken”tries to justify.
Richard Serra’s work is one example of Qatar’s massive investment in the arts, which is accelerating ahead of the controversial FIFA World Cup. The country is indeed set to welcome more than a million people to the event, which kicks off on November 20. Recall that the future sports gathering has been the target of critics for several years, given its significant human cost, its strong environmental and ecological impact, but also the suspicions of corruption, which are heavy.
Carefully observed work
At the same time, the American artist’s work receives little publicity, and the security guards responsible for monitoring the site 24 hours a day are often alone. “On days when there are a lot of visitors, we can have a hundred people.”explains one of them.
Richard Serra, 83, is one of America’s most famous living sculptors. His works weigh tons and are exhibited all over the world. The sculptor was commissioned to place his blocks in the desert by Sheikha Al-Mayasa Al-Thani, sister of the Emir of Qatar and president of the Qatar Museums. His work was closely monitored by security agents, as acts of vandalism took place in 2020 and 2021, after which at least six people were arrested. Abdulrahman Al Ishaq regrets that the cleanup has cost “dear”. “Ideally we shouldn’t touch a piece of art like this because it will naturally rust over time.”he explains.
Recall that more than 40 works of art are displayed in Qatar, outdoors, for example, in parks or hotels, for example, the 4.25-meter blue rooster sculpture by the German Katarina Fritsch.
Source: Le Figaro
