Emirati artist and designer Mattar Bin Lahej has created the sculpture Al Duroor for Dubai’s historic Al Shindagha district. This piece is one of the key works within the Dubai Public Art programme, linking contemporary Dubai to the region’s older astronomical practices.
Al Duroor is installed in the Al Shindagha Historic Neighbourhood and refers to the traditional system of astronomical calculations known as al‑durur, which people in the Gulf once used to determine the seasons, the start of the sailing period, fishing times and the agricultural cycle. The sculpture is made of metal, weighs around 400 kg, and rises to a height of 5 metres, becoming a vertical landmark within the restored historic architecture along Dubai Creek. Official texts emphasise that the work “reinterprets an important element of heritage through a contemporary artistic vision” and fits into the authority’s aim of bringing Emirati heritage into public space.
Mattar Bin Lahej is known for working at the intersection of calligraphy, sculpture, and architectural gesture, from the facade of the Museum of the Future to public artworks in City Walk. In his comments on public projects, he stresses that it is important for him “to connect history and the future” and to transform the language of heritage into a contemporary form that speaks to city residents today. In the case of Al Duroor, the starting point is the astronomical calculation that once helped structure the calendar of life on the creek. Now that logic is translated into a sculptural composition that works as a reminder that the city grew out of knowledge of the stars and the sea.
Dubai Culture presents Al Duroor as part of the broader Dubai Public Art strategy, which “seeks to turn the city’s public spaces into a living gallery” while grounding itself in local stories and visual codes. The strategy materials underline that works like this “honour the heritage of the Creek and at the same time set the future visual language of the city”, where sculptures, installations, and architectural objects become everyday points of encounter between art and the public.
Al Duroor is a rare example of a major public sculpture in Dubai that engages directly with a non‑museum aspect of heritage: not iconic buildings, but the practices of astronomy and maritime life that long remained invisible. It offers a strong anchor for a Shindagha‑focused route: together with the museums, the Resonance installation, and the Sikka Art & Design Festival, the district becomes a living textbook on how Dubai connects the historic Creek with the language of contemporary art.
In addition, we recommend that you read our article about several abstract sculptures in Dubai, which include another of Mattar Bin Lahej’s works.
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