Goalpost installations mark Qatar's passion for football, art

The art installations reflect elements of each artist’s home country combined with aspects of Qatar’s rich cultural heritage, demonstrating the role that football can play in bringing together cultures from across the world. In a press statement, Qatar Tourism chairman and Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive HE Akbar al-Baker said: “As we prepare to welcome millions of visitors to Qatar over the next two months, we believe in showcasing our national landmarks through the distinctive creations of local and international artists. We encourage all visitors coming for the football to take advantage of their time here by exploring the country and experiencing Qatar’s culture first-hand.”Local artists have lent their talents to the project: Ghada al-Suwaidi designed the goalpost that represents Qatar while Abdulaziz Yousef created a goalpost that welcomes all the countries participating in the tournament. In addition, both the Argentinian and French concepts were created with a Qatari touch – calligraphy artist Fatima Alsharshani created the elegant written structure that crowns the Argentinian goalpost and Maryam Faraj al-Suwaidi’s sweeping, metallic dhow boat sails adorn the French installation.Ghada al-Suwaidi, who designed the first goalpost representing Qatar, said: “My design centres on nostalgia. The nostalgia of traditional architecture, especially in Souq Waqif, never changing despite the country’s constant state of modernisation. The nostalgia of childhood football matches, of running barefoot in the backyard, of using doorways as makeshift goalposts, and the nostalgia of getting in trouble when the ball would destroy the bougainvillea growing in every corner. Thankfully, the bougainvillea is a sturdy plant and still flowers in every Qatari backyard to this day. I brought all these aspects together in the hope that those who experienced that childhood can do so again, and those who never did, can peer into our past and join us there.”Yousef, who designed the goalpost representing international visitors, said: “Like all good ideas, the design for this goalpost was born out of a collaborative effort with the team at Qatar Tourism. We wanted to represent not just the people of Qatar, but everyone around the world who will be sharing this momentous occasion with us. I used my personal graffiti style to bring the post to life and added elements of one of my favourite things in Qatar – the sunsets in winter. After all, there is nothing more unifying than playing the beautiful game under a sunset we all share. That is what I hoped to capture.”Alsharshani, who created the calligraphy featured on the Argentina goalpost, said: “Calligraphy is one of the foremost important visual arts in our Arab culture. In this piece with Simo [Simon Vibrant], I used Moroccan calligraphy, which I specialise in, to write ‘Argentina’ in a reflective acrylic material. I wanted the surface of the calligraphy to mirror the Argentinean design while, at the same time, reflect the rocky landscape of Zekreet. This melding of cultures demonstrates the way football allows these two countries on opposite sides of the world to co-exist and flourish.” Maryam Faraj al-Suwaidi, who designed the visual element of the France goalpost, said: “The cultural importance of the dhow can’t be overstated, and it’s a beautiful coincidence that the shape of billowing sails also makes the perfect amplifier for Guillaume’s sound art.”The installations are inspired by the common desire of global travellers to create and share memorable travel experiences. Now, visitors to Qatar can shoot their snaps with perfectly framed backdrops and share their #PostsofQatar photo while experiencing some of the best views and attractions in the country.The ‘Posts of Qatar’ can be found at the following landmarks:1.    “Sailing Forms” - England goalpost by Hugo Dalton at Lusail City Marina2.    “Harmony Shining Through The Rose” - Germany goalpost by KEF at West Bay Beach3.    “From Spain To Qatar” - Spain goalpost by Jordi Gil Fernandez (JoGis Art) at Inland Sea4.    “Symmetry” - Italy goalpost by Ale Giorgini at Katara – the Cultural Village 5.    “Sails, Moving Forward” - France goalpost by Guillaume Rouseré and Maryam Faraj al-Suwaidi at The Pearl-Qatar 6.    “Where The Owl Sleeps” - Brazil goalpost by Camila Gondo at MIA Park7.    “The Shine Of Transformation” - Uruguay goalpost by Josefina De León at Place Vendôme8.    “QATARGENTINA” - Argentina goalpost by Simo Vibart and Fatima Alsharshani at Aspire Zone9.    “Freej” - Qatar goalpost by Ghada al-Suwaidi at Souq Waqif10.    “People From The World” – goalpost representing Countries of the World by Abdulaziz Yousef at Flag PlazaQR codes will be available next to each of the goalposts and can be scanned for further information about the art installation, the artist and location.