Olafur Eliasson: The Curious Desert

This volume chronicles Olafur Eliasson’s first solo exhibition in the Gulf and ongoing engagement with the Qatari desert, showcasing a selection of works that invite reflection about art, perception and the environment. Taking a non-linear approach, the book weaves back and forth between outdoor and indoor locations, focusing first on the Curious desert installation, an ‘artistic laboratory’ collaborating with the elements to shape evolving works of art. The second, the permanent installation Shadows travelling on the sea of the day, is composed of 20 mirrored structures, which challenge our sense of reality and relationship with the natural world. Captured in stunning landscape images, these works are complemented by a selection of meditative light installations, geometric models, photos, and optical devices presented at the National Museum of Qatar. With essays by the curators and the acclaimed author Hashim Sarkis, the book weaves a captivating narrative that reflects Eliasson’s concern with the impact of climate change, while asking the question ‘how do we use vision and movement to make sense of our worlds; to make invisible phenomena visible and palpable?

Publisher: Qatar Museums
Year: 2025
Language: Arabic & English
ISBN: 9789927108860
Pages: 312
Binding: Soft