26 October 2026 — 13 February 2027

Giuseppe Penone: The Inner Flow of Life

Pavilions, sculptures and outdoor installations across the Baraha and Old Palace

Giuseppe Penone: The Inner Flow of Life transforms the National Museum of Qatar's Baraha and Old Palace through a series of pavilions, sculptures and outdoor installations by one of Italy's most prominent contemporary artists. Featuring works from 1969 to the present, the exhibition foregrounds Penone's enduring interest in the synergy between organic and artistic processes and in the poetic relationship between humans and the environment. Alongside works in wood, iron, bronze, clay and marble, the exhibition is accompanied by a newly installed public sculpture, Idee di Pietra, at the Doha Old Port. Born in Garessio, Italy, in 1947, Penone has long been associated with the developments in sculpture of the 1960s and 1970s and with Arte Povera, yet his work retains its own distinctive character, bringing together different meanings related to the natural world and the notion of living sculpture. His attention to the space between the hand and the touched surface that becomes sculpture and drawing, between imprint and sight, gesture and action, runs throughout his practice. Sculptural transformations draw the viewer's attention to details that have long existed but are easily overlooked, and by bringing the grandeur, as well as the modesty and intimacy, of raw and cultural materials into varied settings, Penone raises questions about sculpture and its essence. The exhibition is organised in partnership with Studio Giuseppe Penone and is curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Issa Al Shirawi. Entrance is free with museum admission.

National Museum of Qatar