DOHA: Qatar Museums (QM) and Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) have unveiled a monumental sculpture by the late American artist Tony Smith at Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC).
Titled ‘Smoke’, the large-scale installation designed by Smith in 1967 is the latest addition to QM’s collection.
The giant, two-tier aluminium sculpture is painted black and is 24-foot high. It is a combination of geometric components, including five tetrahedrons and 45 extended octahedrons.
The sculpture’s powerful form was based on the artist’s fascination with geometry and the morphology of organic shapes like crystals and honeycombs.
‘Smoke’ is a celebration of the triangle — the base unit, which creates a strong and dominating sculpture.
The sculpture is in line with QM’s focus on art, creativity and heritage, under the guidance of its Chairperson H E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, while exposing a new generation to thought-provoking public art.
“We are delighted to collaborate with QTA on this installation. This magnificent sculpture is part of our vision at QM to bring world class art to Qatar and enrich the lives of all those who live in and visit our country.
“The work of QM is all around you — in parks, at the DECC, at the airport, at hospitals, even in the desert — as well as in our museums.
“I hope that this major artwork will inspire local talent and will be something for everyone to enjoy,” said Mansoor bin Ebrahim Al Mahmoud, Acting CEO, QM.
Smith (1912-1980) was also a visual artist, architectural designer and a theorist on art.
He made more than 50 large-scale sculptures in the final two decades of his life.
His works are included in international collections such as National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; Museum of Modern Art, New York; Menil Collection, Houston; Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek, Denmark; and Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterloo, the Netherlands.
The Peninsula
