Internationally-acclaimed contemporary French artist Jean-Michel Othoniel has lauded the scale of Qatar’s efforts in bringing high-quality art pieces to the public through its extensive public art programme.
In an interview with local media at Hamad International Airport yesterday, Othoniel, whose work “Cosmos” was the latest piece unveiled at the airport, described the programme as very ambitious and impressive.
“I am very impressed of the quality of the project because it’s very ambitious in terms of giving the people high-quality artworks. I think it’s one of the most impressive in the world in terms of scale and the collection comprises important pieces the country brings to everybody,” he told reporters.
He underlined the importance of public art since it makes art more accessible as the artist reaches out to people creating pieces outside the confines of museums and galleries.
“As an artist I love to do public art. I’m doing shows in museums and galleries as well as private commissions but public art is very important for me because it’s the artist who makes the effort to go to the public. This is the first time a public art installation by Othoniel is being displayed in the region and in an airport.
Source: Peninsula Qatar
“The airport is an interesting space for public art because the audience is multicultural who come from all over the world with their own vision. It is always interesting to see how they react because the work is the same but people react differently based on their culture,” he added.
Othoniel’s “Cosmos” is a monumental sculpture that reflects Qatar’s heritage and culture. It was inspired by the oldest astrolabe in the world, which is one of the artifacts included in the extensive collection of the Museum of Islamic Art. “I came to Doha five years ago and had the chance to discover the Museum of Islamic Art. I was very impressed by the collection; it’s amazing and the quality is great,” he said.
He said he was inspired by the astrolabe for his work as it was an object which occupied a significant place in Qatari culture since travelers in the ancient times used it to look at the stars to find their way in the desert.
“Cosmos” represents a colossal celestial globe echoing the trajectories of travelers from around the world, with more than 30 million passengers passing through HIA last year. The striking piece resembles bright calligraphy drawn in space when observed side-on or from below, and appears in the shape of a blooming rose when observed from the front.
It took Othoniel three years to create the piece made from silver and gold.
“I used gold in creating Cosmos because every culture is linked with this material which is also a very spiritual material in many countries which brings the idea of honour and hope,”
he said.
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