Art that is meant to reflect Doha’s past, present and future is the focus of two new pieces of work that were added to Hamad International Airport’s (HIA) growing collection this week.

The new installations are due to the work of Qatar Museums, which has been working with HIA for years to bring several international pieces to the country.

Unlike most of the installations at the airport, these new ones feature the works of locals, including Desert Horse by renowned Qatari artist Ali Hassan and Al Koora by local charity organization Reach Out To Asia.

Traveling spirit

Qatari artist Ali Hassan, who already has two pieces on display at HIA, has created an 8X6m unconventional interpretation of a desert horse, represented by different forms of the Arabic letter “ن.”

The installation is meant to interpret the spirit of travel and signify how Bedouins roamed about in history, QM said in a statement.

The other installation, Al Koora, which translates to “The Ball,” includes several drawings, paintings and poems representing Doha in different elements.

The installation was set up as a tribute to Qatar’s previous Emir for winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup bid.

The works were put together by some 40 special needs children from several institutions in Doha, including students from Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar (VCU-Q) and other local artists.

In addition to the sculptures and images displayed in the airport’s premium lounges, HIA also features a herd of oryx sculptures in the arrival area by Dutch artist Tom Claassen.

But the most well-known piece is Urs Fischer’s seven-meter tall Lamp Bear. While the installation draws mixed reactions from travelers, it has easily become one of the most shared images of HIA on social media.

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