East-West/West-East by Richard Serra, Brouq Nature Reserve

Overview

East-West/West-East is a land-art work by Richard Serra in the Brouq Nature Reserve, on the Zekreet peninsula about 80 km west of Doha. Four steel plates, each more than 14 metres tall, stand in a straight line that runs for over a kilometre between two low gypsum ridges. There is no ticket, no gate and no visitor centre. You simply drive in, park and walk between the plates.

Go for the scale and the silence. The plates look small from one end and huge when you stand next to them. The flat valley, the white rock ridges and the rusting steel make a striking scene, especially in the low light of early morning or sunset. The drive is part of the trip, with rough desert tracks at the end, so plan it as a half-day outing and combine it with Film City and the rock formations nearby.

History and background

Qatar Museums (then the Qatar Museums Authority) commissioned the work, and it was unveiled in April 2014. Its launch matched Serra's first solo exhibition in the Middle East, held in Doha from April to July that year. It was his second public commission in Qatar after 7, the tall steel sculpture completed in 2011 at the end of MIA Park.

Serra chose a valley that crosses the Brouq peninsula from one stretch of Gulf water to another. The four plates are about 10 cm thick and stand either 14.7 or 16.7 metres high. They are set at different heights so that their tops sit level with each other and with the gypsum plateaus on either side. The steel was made in Germany and is left to weather, changing from grey to orange and brown over time.

Serra, one of the most important sculptors of his generation, called the piece the most fulfilling thing he had ever made. He died in 2024, which makes this remote work one of his best-known late landmarks.

What to see at East-West/West-East (Richard Serra)

1. Walking the line

   Walk the full length of the work, more than a kilometre from end to end. From each plate you see the others lined up ahead, and the way they seem to shrink and grow is the heart of the piece.

2. Scale up close

   Stand at the foot of a plate to feel its size. Each one rises more than 14 metres straight out of the sand, and the flat desert around it makes the steel look even taller.

3. The gypsum ridges

   Low white limestone and gypsum cliffs line the valley on both sides. Climb carefully onto a ridge for a view along the whole row of plates, one of the best photo angles on the site.

4. Changing light

   The weathered steel shifts colour through the day. Early morning and the hour before sunset give long shadows and warm tones, and the midday glare is both harsh and very hot.

5. Brouq Nature Reserve

   The work sits inside a protected desert reserve on the Zekreet peninsula. Look out for wildlife on the way in; travel guides report ostriches and gazelles in the area.

6. Combine with Zekreet

   Film City, the wind-carved rock formations and the Zekreet coast are all a short drive away. Together they make a full day out on Qatar's quiet west coast.

How to get to East-West/West-East (Richard Serra)

Tips for your visit

• Fill up with fuel and buy water before leaving the Dukhan Highway; there are no shops at the site.
• Use a 4×4 or SUV. Some drivers lower tyre pressure for the sandy sections.
• Do not touch the plates in the heat of the day. The steel gets extremely hot.
• Take everything home with you. There are no bins and the reserve is protected.
• Never write on, scratch or climb the plates. Leave the artwork as you found it.
• Download an offline map before you go; mobile coverage can be patchy on the peninsula.

Frequently asked questions