A New Yorker Finds A New Home in Qatar

Hamad International Airport & Qatar Museums unveil ‘Small Lie’ by KAWS
A New Yorker Finds A New Home in Qatar

DOHA, QATAR – Today Hamad International Airport (HIA), an active supporter of arts and culture, has revealed a new art piece, SMALL LIE  by American artist KAWS. The inauguration was attended by the artist, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al Meer, HIA Chief Operating Officer and Khalid Yousef Al Ibrahim, Qatar Museums (QM) Chief Strategic Planning Officer. Delivered as part of Qatar Museums’ commitment to make art available to all  beyond the confines of a gallery, SMALL LIE  is the latest addition to the airport’s fine art collection of more than twenty permanent pieces created by local and international artists.

Engr. Badr Mohammed Al Meer, Chief Operating Officer at HIA, commented: “HIA’s space for public art is truly redefining the passenger experience. SMALL LIE  is a monumental art piece. Our operations team had to dismantle the airport façade at concourse D to handle the crates and we worked on the technical installation for several weeks. Preparing to 50 million passengers by 2022, the airport is thriving to give transit travellers a memorable journey through the arts and culture.” 

HIA being strategically located at the crossroads of the Eastern and the Western part of the world, the selection of art installations displayed at the airport transcends all cultures and beliefs. KAWS is the fourth American artist joining HIA’s Art Programme. Most recently installed at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park in the UK, the newly inaugurated SMALL LIE is now located in the North node of HIA, near Concourse E, a strategic location for the benefit of the 30 million passengers transiting through HIA on a yearly basis.

A painter, sculptor, product designer and collector, KAWS is considered one of the most distinctive artists of our time. His influential work connects people across generations with contemporary art and opens up the world of popular culture to young and diverse audiences across the globe.

The artist flew in to Qatar to present his artwork: “I hope SMALL LIE can transport passengers into another realm”, said KAWS. “The inspiration behind SMALL LIE comes from my relationship to wooden toys growing up and the warm sensation of wood grain.  Expanding on this, I created an oversize sculpture that plays with an emotional tension of strength and kindness. It is the first time that one of my pieces is exhibited in an airport…the space allows a dialogue with both travellers and the other artworks showcased at HIA.  It is a perfect space for SMALL LIE.”   

Artworks on show at HIA comprise a mix of site-specific creations and pieces which have been carefully selected for the airport, transforming the transportation hub into a large-scale gallery filled with breathtaking pieces suc has the iconic Lamp Bear by Swiss artist Urs Fischer, Oryx statues by Dutch artist Tom Claassen, the Playground  by American sculptor Tom Otterness. Additional art pieces will soon be launched at HIA.