Q Life Magazine Q Magazine (US) May 2016 | Page 32

| Issue 2 Richard Serra’s East-West/West-East T he Qatari desert now gives rise to sculptor Richard Serra’s second art installation in the Gulf nation. Set in a natural corridor formed by opposing gypsum plateaus, East-West/West-East spans more than a kilometer across the Brouq Nature Reserve. A series of four steel plates, each of which soars more than 14 meters (over 45 feet) toward the sky, aligns perfectly with its surrounding topography. Serra, known for producing large-scale, site-specific sculptures around the world, took cues from the natural environment while making sure visitors could see and explore all four plates from either end of the sculpture. Serra’s first public artwork in the Middle East, called 7, was installed at the Museum of Islamic Art Park in 2011. Commissioned by Qatar Museums, the landmark sculpture measures more than 24 meters in height, making it the tallest public art installation in Qatar—and the tallest Serra has created to date. Constructed from seven steel plates arranged in a heptagon shape, the work celebrates the scientific and spiritual significance of the number seven in Islamic culture. Serra found inspiration for the striking sculpture in the region’s towering minarets. | Richard Serra, East-West/West-East 32