Picture: Marivie Alabanza | The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: In celebration of World Environment Day, a new sculpture 'AlHaram Plant' by Qatari artist Moudi Al Hajri was recently installed on the Corniche Underpass. This artwork is a collaborative effort between the City Beautification Projects Implementation Team and Qatar Museums, aimed at "enriching visitors' experiences through its connection to the Qatari environment."
The 5m x 5m stainless steel sculpture, designed to match the colour of the Qatari flag, represents a local perennial plant from the succulent family. Al Hajri artistically rendered the plant in spherical branches of varying shapes and sizes to showcase the plant's unique beauty and highlight Qatar's diverse plant life.
The 5m x 5m stainless steel sculpture, designed to match the colour of the Qatari flag, represents a local perennial plant from the succulent family.
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Eng. Muhammad Arqoub Al-Khalidi, Head of the City Beautification Projects Implementation Team, shared his excitement about the new installation, saying, "We are happy to launch the artwork 'AlHaram Plant' by Qatari artist Moudi Al-Hajri as part of the City Beautification Projects Implementation Team’s plan to support local artists and highlight their creative talents. We were keen to launch the model in conjunction with the World Environment Day to reinforce the importance of preserving local plants."
Al-Khalidi noted that unveiling 'AlHaram Plant' on World Environment Day not only emphasise the significance of environmental conservation but also transforms public spaces into open art galleries that enhance national identity and cultural interaction.
Abdul Rahman Al Ishaq, Director of the Art Department at Qatar Museums, added, "The inauguration of the new artwork 'AlHaram' enhances the public art scene in Qatar and adds a piece created by Qatari hands. We express our deep thanks to Ashghal and the city beautification project implementation team for the continuous support and efforts made to enrich public spaces with arts. We are also proud of the Qatari artist Modhi Al-Hajri for her exceptional creativity in this wonderful work."
Picture: Public Works Authority 'Ashghal' on X
Moudi Al Hajri shared her pride in the collaboration, viewing 'AlHaram Plant' as a notable milestone in her artistic career. She said: "I am happy to cooperate with Ashghal and Qatar Museums and proud to present the artwork “AlHaram Plant”, which I consider to be a qualitative addition to my creative and artistic career. AlHaram plant has always attracted my attention, its resilience and growth throughout the year despite the harsh climatic conditions, and its ability to adapt in the face of high temperatures in Qatar."
'AlHaram Plant' is the latest addition to Qatar's hundreds of public art projects, as the country aims to transform its public space into an outdoor museum that brings art directly to the people, both residents and visitors.
