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Experience Smoke by Tony Smith

One of the most remarkable installations in Doha

Art installation

Smoke

Smoke by Tony Smith, sits at the entrance to the Doha Exhibition & Convention Centre (DECC). Open and inviting, profound yet serene, the giant geometric components of this 24 foot tall sculpture dominate the space.

How to get there?

  • Smoke is accessible via car or taxi (Uber is widely used, alternatively Karwa).

  • The nearest metro station is DECC.

Smoke Sculpture by Tony Smith

Address

Doha Exhibition & Convention Centre (DECC) in West Bay

Phone

+974 4033 1111

Website

https://qm.org.qa/en/visit/public-art/tony-smith-smoke/

Located in a prominent position near Doha Exhibition and Convention Center, Smoke by American artist Tony Smith was built in 1967. It’s a copy of the original installation which was made of painted plywood. Another version of Smoke can be seen in Los Angeles. This sculpture was so well received by the general public and critics back then that it made the cover of Time Magazine the same year.

This striking 24-foot aluminium sculpture comprises many geometric patterns. In all, the assembled piece has five tetrahedrons, triangular pyramids with four triangular faces, six straight edges, and four vertex corners, and 45 octahedrons, three-dimensional shapes having eight plane faces with eight triangular faces. Although the structure is painted black, its surface reflects sunlight and reveals shadows, making the shapes even more conspicuous.

Smoke Sculpture by Tony Smith
Smoke Sculpture by Tony Smith

Highlights of your visit

  • Local shopping, dining and cultural experiences

  • DECC

  • Photo opportunities

The name Smoke appealed to Smith because of the complex spaces created within the sculpture, in which its logic disappears, like smoke. The sculpture reveals his fascination with geometry and organic shapes such as crystals and honeycombs. 

Tony Smith (1912-1980) made more than fifty large-scale sculptures in the final two decades of his life.

Useful information

Address

Doha Exhibition & Convention Centre (DECC) in West Bay

Opening times

Open 24 hours

Not to miss

Smoke Sculpture by Tony Smith