Olafur Eliasson’s Illusory Rings Revealed in Qatar

Olafur Eliasson b. 1976, Denmark Follow +

Government arts institution Qatar Museums unveiled a new commission by Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson on Tuesday.

Dwarfed by the surrounding desert, Shadows travelling on the sea of the day (2022) features disc-shaped shelters supported by half rings made of steel. Reflected in the mirrored undersides of the discs, the half rings transform into full circles.

Eliasson said that by allowing viewers to look up and see themselves down below on the earth, the installation ‘is an invitation to resync with the planet’.

‘It is a celebration of everything being in and moving through the desert site north of Doha at the time of your visit – animals, plants, and human beings; stories, traditions, and cultural artefacts; wind, sunlight, air, and shimmering heat,’ he said.

Eliasson’s work joins two others commissioned in the north of the country. Brazilian artist Ernesto Neto‘s Slug Turtle, TemplEarth (2022) is a structure consisting of white netting, football goal frames, and a central ceramic earth globe, while Lebanese artist Simone Fattal‘s Maqam I, Maqam II, Maqam III (2021) consists of three dune-like structures in blue granite.

Ernesto Neto b. 1964, Brazil Follow +

In August, Qatar Museums announced Eliasson’s contribution among 40 new public art commissions by renowned artists such as Jeff Koons, Yayoi Kusama, and KAWS ahead of the FIFA World Cup, which kicks off on 20 November.

Qatar has poured over US $300 billion into the tournament, which has been plagued by criticisms. Amnesty International declared the tournament the Qatar World Cup of Shame due to the maltreatment of migrant workers, the U.S. Department of Justice accused Qatar of bribing FIFA members for the right to host the cup, and Australia Football called on Qatar to decriminalise same-sex relationships.

In a lengthy statement, Eliasson said that working in Qatar has meant being ‘confronted with values that are different from my own — sometimes radically so.’

Simone Fattal b. 1942, Syria Follow +

‘I adamantly believe in the right of everyone to express themselves freely, in particular with regard to their gender and sexual orientation, and I am a strong believer in upholding human rights, as outlined by the UN,’ he said.

He advocated for art’s role as ‘a conduit for dialogue and for listening’ and hoped that the ‘space for self-reflection that I strive to offer in my art will provide alternative, productive means for us to meet each other across communities and cultures’.

‘Art, unlike activism, is often slow and circuitous’, Eliasson said. —[O]

Main image: Olafur Eliasson, Shadows travelling on the sea of the day (2022). Steel, fibreglass, glass mirrors. Exhibition view: Doha, Qatar, 2022. © 2022 Olafur Eliasson. Courtesy the artist; neugerriemschneider, Berlin; Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York / Los Angeles. Photo: Iwan Baan.