Qatar Museums, yesterday unveiled Keys to Memories, a captivating public artwork created by Boo Design Studio in collaboration with Qatari artist and educator Maryam Al-Homaid. Installed in front of the Lusail Metro Station, the artwork transforms 250,000 reclaimed keychains into a striking reflection of the shared experiences of football fans during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, the first World Cup hosted in the Middle East, in the Arabian Gulf and the second in Asia.
The unveiling was attended by Mohammed Saad Al Rumaihi, CEO, Qatar Museums, His Excellency Yasir Al Jamal, Director General, Supreme Committee, Under secretary of Ministry of Sports and Youth, Mr. Fahad Abdullatif Al Jahrami, Chief Development and Asset Management Officer at Qatari Diar, Ahmed Mohammed Al-Saleh, Lusail Lightrail Director, Qatar Rail and Abdulla Saif Alsulaiti, Chief of Service Delivery, Qatar Rail among other prominent dignitaries .
Installed in front of Lusail Metro Station, one of the busiest transit hubs of the World Cup, the piece ensures that the spirit of the event remains alive for generations to come. The keychains collected, in collaboration with the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, form a visual representation of fans’ chants of the final four teams that competed. Interwoven with Al-Homaid’s custom-designed patterns, the composition merges traditional motifs with modern aesthetics, offering a contemplative space where past and future converge.
Sheikha Reem Al Thani, Acting Deputy CEO of Exhibitions, Public Art, and Rubayia at Qatar Museums, stated, “Public Art has the power to preserve collective experiences and enrich the urban landscape. Keys to Memories reminds viewers of the excitement and togetherness that we all experienced during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, further demonstrating how culture, whether in sport or visual art, brings people together. ”
Boo Design Studio, founded by Qatar based Lebanese designers Amanda and Jo Booabbood, is known for its projects that bridge contemporary craftsmanship with meaningful narratives. Similarly, Al-Homaid explores the symbiotic relationship between technology-based media and the “DIY” culture of her everyday surroundings.
Amanda and Jo Booabbood, Founders of Boo Design Studio commented, “From the outset, we imagined Keys to Memories as a portal—an immersive tunnel that echoes with the chants of fans and the architectural soul of the stadiums. 2022 was also our first year living and designing in Qatar, making this piece deeply personal. It’s a time capsule of global celebration and our own beginnings—of finding belonging, forging roots, and honouring the spirit of a welcoming nation that truly made us and the entire world feel at home.”
By repurposing thousands of keychains into a sculptural form, Keys to Memories underscores Qatar’s commitment to art that is both innovative and environmentally conscious. As a lasting testament to a historic sporting event, the installation invites visitors to reflect on the emotions and connections that defined the World Cup experience.
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About Qatar Museums
Qatar Museums (QM), the nation's preeminent institution for art and culture, provides authentic and inspiring cultural experiences through a growing network of museums, heritage sites, festivals, public art installations, and programmes. QM preserves, restores, and expands the nation's cultural offerings and historical sites, sharing art and culture from Qatar, the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA) region with the world and enriching the lives of citizens, residents, and visitors.
Under the patronage of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and led by its Chairperson, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, QM has made Qatar a vibrant centre for the arts, culture, and education in the Middle East and beyond. QM is integral to the goal of developing an innovative, diverse, and progressive nation, bringing people together to ignite new thinking, spark critical cultural conversations, educate and encourage environmental stewardship and sustainable practices, and amplify the voices of Qatar's people. Since its founding in 2005, QM has overseen the Museum of Islamic Art and MIA Park, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the National Museum of Qatar, QM Gallery Al Riwaq, QM Gallery Katara and the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum. Future museums include Dadu, Children's Museum of Qatar, Qatar Auto Museum, Art Mill Museum and the Lusail Museum.
Through its newly created Creative Hub, QM also initiates and supports projects—such as the Fire Station Artist in Residence, the Tasweer Qatar Photo Festival, the creative hub for innovation, fashion and design M7, and Liwan Design Studios and Labs —that nurture artistic talent and create opportunities to build a strong and sustainable cultural infrastructure.
Animating everything that Qatar Museums does is an authentic connection to Qatar and its heritage, a steadfast commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, and a belief in creating value through invention
About Public Art
Qatar Museums' extensive programme of public art demonstrates its commitment to bringing art directly to the people and expanding everyone's creative horizons. Highlights of the public artworks on view, which enrich the lives of all citizens, include the neon installation A Blessing in Disguise by Ghada Al Khater at the Fire Station: Artists in Residence; Smoke, a sculpture by Tony Smith at the Doha Exhibition & Convention Centre; East-West/West-East, a monumental sculpture in the heart of the Qatar desert by Richard Serra; Gandhi's Three Monkeys by Subodh Gupta at Katara Cultural Village; and Maman, a sculpture by Louise Bourgeois in the form of a giant steel spider at the Qatar National Convention Centre, Qatar Foundation. QM also collaborates with the Hamad International Airport (HIA), where major artworks created by local, regional, and international artists—including Adel Abdessemed, Ahmed Al Bahrani, Dia al-Azzawi, Mubarak Al Malik, Salman Al-Malik, Amal Al Rabban, Tom Claassen, Urs Fischer, Ali Hassan, KAWS, Tom Otterness, and Bill Viola—can be seen. QM also supports a variety of initiatives that aim to engage with contemporary artists in Qatar, an ”Annual Intervention” open call inviting artists to propose a permanent placemaking public artwork; the “Temporary Public Art” open call, inviting early-career artists; i.e students and alumni recently graduated to create a temporary public artwork to be placed in Liwan Design Studios and Labs; and JEDARIART, an annual programme activating the city walls bringing together artists through murals to enrich daily life and encourage the community to reflect on social, historical, and cultural issues. Each year, the public art program also presents World Wide Walls: Doha, a week-long mural festival exclusive to the MENA region. Architect Abdulrahman Ahmed Al-Ishaq serves as Director of QM's Public Art department
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