East-West/West-East, Steel sculpture in Al-Shahaniya, Qatar
East-West/West-East is a steel sculpture in Al-Shahaniya composed of four massive weathering steel plates that stand over 14 meters tall and stretch across roughly one kilometer of desert terrain. The plates are positioned so that viewers can see the horizon framed differently from each viewpoint, creating a shifting visual experience that plays with perception and scale.
The work was commissioned by Qatar Museums Authority and completed in 2014 as a second major project by artist Richard Serra in the region. Its creation marked a shift in Serra's exploration of how industrial materials could reshape the viewer's understanding of natural terrain.
The work transforms how people experience empty desert space by creating a path through the landscape that invites exploration. Walking between the plates, visitors discover how human-made forms can reshape the way we perceive vastness and distance.
Reaching this site requires GPS coordinates since there are no marked roads or directional signs in the open desert setting. Visitors should plan to use a vehicle and go with local knowledge or a guide, as the location remains remote and easy to miss.
The steel develops a natural rust layer over time that shifts its color from gray to deep amber while creating a protective coating on the surface. This color transformation is integral to the artistic concept and shows how nature gradually claims and changes industrial materials.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
