Simone Fattal was born in Damascus, raised in Lebanon and currently resides in Paris. In 1969 she began working as a visual artist, exhibiting her paintings until the start of the Lebanese Civil War. In 1988 she enrolled at the San Francisco Art Institute, dedicating her time to a newfound interest in sculpture and ceramics. Her work is included in several public collections, such as the Centre Pompidou, Paris, and the National Museum of Qatar (NMOQ), Doha.
Maqam I, Maqam II, Maqam III by Simone Fattal
This installation by Simone Fattal is located in the Al Zubarah desert, inspired by Qatar’s natural landscape and history.
Simone Fattal (b. 1942).Maqam I, Maqam II, Maqam III, 2022. Granite, 3.4 x 2.4 x 2.4 m each. Photo: Sarjoun Faour, courtesy of Qatar Museums ©2022
For Maqam, Simone Fattal created three granite sculptures with a manifold shape that can be perceived at once as a dune or a tent.
These shapes, appearing both natural and man-made, coalesce in Fattal’s contemporary structures, deeply connecting them with the archetypes present in the landscape and history of Qatar. The sculptures were fabricated in Brittany, France, and shipped to Qatar. The local blue granite was especially selected by the artist for the works to stand out in the naturally pink surroundings, providing a visual landmark.
Explore More
Gates to the Sea by Simone Fattal
Marking the entrance to the National Museum of Qatar, Simone Fattal’s Gates to the Sea suggests the link between past and present.
Shadows Travelling on the Sea of the Day by Olafur Eliasson
This site-specific installation plays with our perception of reality.
Slug Turtle, TemplEarth by Ernesto Neto
This interactive, site-specific installation in the Zubarah Desert invites visitors to meditate and reflect on their relationships with their ecologies.
Public Art
From striking sculptures and specially commissioned murals, our public art pieces are immersive, informal and interactive.