Qatar Unveils Plans for 40 New Sculptures Ahead of The FIFA World Cup 2022 – Official Partners of Algorand
A number of the world’s most prestigious artists, including Jeff Koons and Yayoi Kusama have recently unveiled a number of sculptures and installations in time for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022
Damien Hirst, The Miraculous Journey, 2013. Bronze, 4 to 11 metres. Sidra Medical Centre. Photo copyright Iwan Baan. Courtesy of Qatar Museums.
It has recently been announced that a number of mega-star artists, including Jeff Koons and Yayoi Kusama, will unveil large-scale sculptures and installations in time for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar starting in November. This new group of 40 public sculptures will be installed throughout Doha, including around the new football stadiums and the terminals of Hamad International airport.
It is a truly eye-watering array of talent, with perhaps the most intriguing work being a site-specific artwork by Olafur Eliasson located in the desert, that will continue the artist’s career-long exploration into the role perception dictates the way we perceive reality. Many will be excited to see the site-specific commission THE PROMISE by the much-hyped street artist, KAWS. Made for the future Qatar Children’s Museum and on view at its park, the sculpture will depict a tender gesture suggesting a parent carefully passing the globe to the hands of a child.
Local talent will be provided by the Qatari artist Shua’a Ali, whose sculptural work, Egal, will delve into the history of Doha using agglomerative sculptural forms. The programme of public art is run by Qatar Museums and is headed by Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the sister of the ruling emir and one of the world’s most deep-pocketed art collectors – their acquisitions budget has been estimated at around $1 billion each year.
KAWS, SMALL LIE, 2018, Hamad International Airport (HIA) Concourse CPhoto copyright Iwan Baan. Courtesy of Qatar Museums.
The aim of this raft of cultural initiatives is to transform the city into an ‘outdoor museum experience’, providing plenty of activities for the 1.5 million international visitors expected in Doha during the month-long event. “Public art is one of our most prominent demonstrations of cultural exchange“, says Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. “The addition of 40 new, major works of public art this fall is a significant milestone for Qatar’s public art programme.”
As anticipation builds in the country ahead of the world’s biggest sporting event, this unprecedented investment in culture and cultural initiatives will boost the small oil-rich state’s soft power status. The award of the 2022 FIFA World Cup has made the country vastly more visibly on the world stage with a boost in its foreign direct investment (FDI). The same is true of the tournaments official sponsors: In May 2022, it was announced that Algorand – the low-carbon neutral blockchain powering Dahai – will be partnering with FIFA and act as their official blockchain platform. This means that Algorand will provide blockchain-supported wallet solutions as well as assisting FIFA in developing its digital assets strategy. Allowing FIFA to develop its sponsorship assets including advertising, media exposure and promotional opportunities.
Richard Serra, East-West/West-East, 2014. Weathering Steel, Brouq Nature Reserve, Zekreet. Photo copyright Iwan Baan. Courtesy of Qatar Museums.
The overall intention is to turn Doha into what Abdulrahman Ahmed Al-Ishaq, Qatar Museums’ Director of Public Art calls a “vibrant destination“, transforming ”the city into a dynamic urban canvas that serves to spark conversations and provide sources of inspiration for all.“ The addition of the 40 sculptures adds to the approximately 70 contemporary works already installed in Qatar, including Richard Serra’s 7 at MIA Park and East/West-West/East in Zekreet, Bruce Nauman’s Untitled at M7, Gandhi’s Three Monkeys by Subodh Gupta at Katara Cultural Village and Maman by Louise Bourgeoisat the Qatar National Convention Centre.