QATAR. In celebration of this year’s Trinity Forum (30-31 October) in Doha, The Moodie Davitt Report is proud to bring readers and Trinity delegates a series called Qatari Wonders that highlights the cultural attractions of Qatar.
The Trinity Forum, organised by The Moodie Davitt Report, ACI and ACI Asia-Pacific, is this year being jointly hosted by Qatar Airways, Qatar Duty Free and Hamad International Airport.
The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie said, “In a troubled and divided world, travel retail plays an important role in creating mutual international tolerance and awareness of other cultures. We do not see the hosting of our premier conference as just a commercial occasion but one in which we also celebrate the culture, tastes and traditions of the host country. Qatar is a nation rich in history, resplendent with natural and man-made attractions, and renowned for its magnificent art collections and architecture.
“We know that Trinity Forum delegates will savour this fascinating cultural tapestry and we are proud to highlight it during the run-up to the event.”
East–West/West–East by Richard Serra
American minimalist sculptor and video artist Richard Serra’s work is said to be driven by a desire to take sculpture off its pedestal and onto the street. In fact, you couldn’t get much further off the street than in the Brouq nature reserve, where Serra’s magnificent work East–West/West–East spans more than a kilometre of desert in western Qatar.
Here, Serra, who is renowned for his creations involving large assemblies of sheet metal, has created a work of epic scale and wonder and a stark almost jolting beauty. It comprises four steel plates, each over 14 metres high.
According to Qatar Museums, which commissioned the work, to guarantee perfect alignment Serra examined the topography of the land and opted to complement the vast, desolate space in the heart of the desert.
According to a 2014 article in The New Yorker, the work arose from a conversation the artist had with Sheikha al-Mayassa Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, a sister of the Emir of Qatar, and a hugely influential figure in the art world.
The article quoted Serra’s recollection of the moment. “She asked me, ‘Would you build a piece in the landscape?,’ and I said to her, ‘What landscape?,’ and she said, ‘The desert.’ ”
The resultant combination of man’s work and the vast, timeless arid beauty of this landscape is sublime. Sunset here is an unforgettable time, a moment of ethereal beauty.
PREVIOUSLY FEATURED ON QATARI WONDERS
