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Qatar’s desert is home to rolling sand dunes, dramatic limestone cliffs, and, recently, otherworldly art installations.
Approximately 1 hour drive north giant monolithic sculpture Installed by American artist Richard Serra, the rock formations and desert plants that dot the secluded landscape give way to a collection of impressive twisted structures.
These freestanding rings and silver glass mirrors are the work of Olafur Eliasson, an Icelandic-Danish artist known for exploring the deep connection between humanity and nature.
The work, titled “Shadow Traveling in the Sea of Sunshine,” was installed in northwestern Qatar in 2022. It consists of his 20 large circular shelters, three single rings and two double rings, which are arranged according to the axes in a five-fold symmetrical pattern.
Up close, its geometric shape appears grand, yet in harmony with the infinite horizon.
The mirrored ceiling playfully blends the boundaries between the sandy ground and the vast sky, and the interplay of sunlight and shadows passing through the pavilion creates a continuously changing panorama.
Eliasson, who lives and works in Copenhagen and Berlin, said he was drawn to this remote part of Qatar because of its striking resemblance to the terrain of his family’s windswept homeland in the North Atlantic.
Connection with Iceland
Dimitris Sideridis
Olafur Eliasson’s Shadow Traveling on the Sea of Sun uses mirrors to interpret the surrounding desert landscape.
Although it looked like a barren desert, he said he was also surprised by the discoveries he made there.
““When I first visited Qatar, my parents are from Qatar, so in some ways it didn’t feel like the Iceland I know so well,” Eliasson told CNN. “There is a vast landscape that seems to be on the periphery of the settlement.
“Of course, if you look closely, it’s teeming with life, but to the uninformed, the desert can seem empty and monolithic.”
He says his work documenting the repeating patterns of Iceland’s rivers, caves and hiking shelters has given him a perspective on Qatar from the gleaming new skyscrapers of the capital Doha.
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“I was fascinated by the landscape of Qatar and saw the country through different lenses. The environmental and geological history of the land stands out in stark contrast to the incredible new building projects. ” he says. “I’m fascinated by these contrasts.”
Although Eliasson is known for his blockbuster works, weather projectAlthough London’s Tate Modern Gallery was illuminated by the orange light of a giant mirrored sun, his works in Qatar are set in too-empty spaces to attract similar audience numbers. I don’t think you can.
“Get there by driving north through the rugged desert from Doha, passing Zubara Fort and the village of Ain Mohammed.
“Visiting the works requires some effort.”
top and bottom
Dimitris Sideridis
Eliasson says the structure is designed to draw people in and encourage them to reflect on their surroundings.
Although the site has no significant historical buildings or topographical features such as mountains or valleys, Eliasson said the artwork will help change visitors’ perceptions of the place.
“This artwork, its mirrors, its structure invites us to look anew at landscapes, places we take for granted as empty, empty, everyday objects. We hope that it will offer a new relationship with the ground and the earth.”
Eliasson says these structures are designed to draw people in and encourage them to interact with the installations and contemplate their surroundings.
“From a distance, you can see the mirrored underside of the collection of circular shelters and free-standing rings shimmering on the horizon,” he says. “If you look closely, you can see that the halfpipe is reflected in a mirror, forming a perfect circle.
“This creates an environment where when you stand between the structures, you feel enveloped from all sides. The mirror reflects the land below, and you are reflected in this landscape, and you are, so to speak, a part of that landscape. They are caught up in it.”
According to Eliasson, human movements are amplified by reflexes.
“All the while, as the sun moves across the sky, cool, gentle shadows sweep across the sandy ground, reflecting earthy colors overhead and around you. On the ceiling, fitted with large mirrors, with the right amount of patience , you can also find cyclical journeys like this.
“When you look up, you realize you’re actually looking down at the earth and yourself. Above and below, the sand envelops you, along with everyone else sharing that space.”
Dimitris Sideridis
Eliasson says his work aims to disconnect us from our standard perception of time.
For a better experience, Eliasson recommends shaking your legs and arms when you’re under the mirror.
“This is a kind of reality check of whether you are connected to the ground. You are standing firmly on the sand and at the same time hanging head down from the ground far above. You’ll be switching back and forth between a first-person perspective and an unstable third-person perspective.
“This vibration of the gaze amplifies the sense of presence as the body moves, while the curving structures appear to disappear into the surroundings, becoming dematerialized and becoming the landscape.”
The artist says his work aims to create the passage of time and a sense of disconnection from our standard perception of time.
He hopes it’s also a way to stimulate the imagination. Perhaps to reflect on different ways of living to alleviate the climate crisis, he says, and that art should play a key role in tackling the climate crisis.
“Unlike climate change activism, for example, art is often slow and circuitous. “Shadows Traveling Across the Sea of Days” is about how we can rebuild our relationship with the Earth. I believe that it encourages reflection. How can we create new narratives to move towards different ways of living and caring for the planet?
“It provides a space for embodied experience and self-reflection, as well as an opportunity to share one’s experiences with others across communities and cultures.”
