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
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