'Power of Words': The story behind the Sheikh Zayed-inspired sculptures at Qasr Al Watan

The three large-scale works were created by Emirati artist Mattar bin Lahej

Qasr Al Watan is home to 'Power of Words', a series of three sculptures by Emirati artist Mattar bin Lahej based on quotes by Sheikh Zayed. All images courtesy Qasr Al Watan

The golden sculpture, located inside the palace, weighs six tonnes.

Bin Lahej used three different quotes by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father, to create each of the works.

The calligraphic sculpture is based on the quote: 'Wealth is not money or oil; wealth lies in people and it is worthless if not dedicated to serve the people.'

The remaining two sculptures weigh four tonnes each and are located in the palace garden.

Bin Lahej is also the artist behind the facade of Dubai's Museum of the Future, which bears calligraphic designs similar to the palace sculptures.

“Wealth is not money or oil; wealth lies in people and it is worthless if not dedicated to serve the people.” These words by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father, have been transformed into a monumental golden sculpture by Emirati artist Mattar bin Lahej.

It is one of three works – part of the series Power of Words – which is live at Abu Dhabi's Qasr Al Watan, a cultural landmark located in the presidential palace compound of the capital.

The two other sculptures are made of silver and located in the palace’s garden. These are also based on Sheikh Zayed's quotes, which speak of his appreciation for education.

One is: “Science and history walk side by side. By using science, man can record his history and preserve it for generations to come, so others may learn from it and come to know what their ancestors achieved.”

The other is: “The education of our people is a great wealth. We are proud of our educated nation because through knowledge and science we will open the horizon to a glorious future.”

Bin Lahej is also the artist behind the exterior design of Dubai's Museum of the Future, where he used calligraphy to visualise words of the city's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.

See more of Dubai's Museum of the Future here:

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, watches the installation of the final piece of the facade of the Museum of the Future, in downtown Dubai.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, attends a ceremony to mark the completion of the facade of the Museum of the Future, accompanied by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Dubai Crown Prince, and Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, Deputy Ruler of Dubai.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, attends the installation of the final piece of facade of the Museum of the Future, accompanied by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Dubai Crown Prince, and Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, Deputy Ruler of Dubai. The Museum of the Future was named one of the 14 most beautiful museums on the planet by 'National Geographic' magazine.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, with Mohammed Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Managing Director of the Dubai Future Foundation, as Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, looks on.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, with Mohammed Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Managing Director of the Dubai Future Foundation.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, views the facade of the Museum of the Future. The facade consists of 1,024 plates manufactured entirely by robots, a first-of-its-kind venture in the Middle East.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, at the installation of the final piece of facade of the Museum of the Future. The stainless steel facade extends over 17,000 square metres.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, at the installation of the final piece of facade of the Museum of the Future. The facade is illuminated by 14,000 metres of Arabic calligraphy, designed by Emirati artist Mattar bin Lahej.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, stands in front of the spectacular facade of the Museum of the Future. Design and engineering software company Autodesk described the museum as one of the most innovative buildings in the world.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, stands in front of the Museum of the Future, accompanied by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Dubai Crown Prince, and Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, Deputy Ruler of Dubai.

The ceremony for the installation of the final piece of the facade of the Museum of the Future. The seven-storey pillarless structure stands 77 metres tall.

The Museum of the Future will be home to a research centre with labs and classrooms, as well as showcasing exhibitions, immersive theatre and themed attraction. Organisers say it will invite visitors to 'look beyond the present to the possible'.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, at the installation of the final piece of facade at the Museum of the Future. He was accompanied by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Dubai Crown Prince, and Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, Deputy Ruler of Dubai.

The artist's spherical creations at Qasr Al Watan, which were first unveiled in 2019, are made of intricately connected Arabic scripts and are not only meant to be looked at – he has designed them so that visitors can enter and also experience the work from the inside.

When Bin Lahej was approached to create the work, he says he saw the chance to fulfil a long-term ambition. “I seized this opportunity with pride because I’ve always wished to create a piece from Sheikh Zayed’s expressions and proverbs,” he explained.

The larger gold sculpture, installed inside the palace, is surrounded by ornate halls with a crystal chandelier hanging above it. The piece weighs six tonnes, while the two sculptures in the garden weigh four tonnes each.

The presidential palace opened its doors to the public in 2019 and has since become a popular tourist attraction. It includes a library with books and resources on the UAE's culture, society and politics, and also displays artefacts.

On weekends, the palace stages a sound and light show titled Palace in Motion, which traces the history of the UAE.

The cultural landmark was closed in March 2020, when attractions across the country were shut to protect the public during the early months of the pandemic. It reopened in October to public tours with strict measures in place to limit the spread of Covid-19.

More information on Qasr Al Watan can be found at qasralwatan.ae

Take a look inside the Qasr Al Watan Library here:

Qasr Al Watan's library space from the upper level is an architectural element in itself. All Photos by Khushnum Bhandari for The National

Qasr Al Watan's library space open to the general public.

It is home to a collection of 50,000 texts and 16 million digital documents.

The library reopened to the public in February 2021.

Qasr Al Watan's library is made up of 22 rooms.

The public can also access books and manuscripts via its digital collections.

Qasr Al Watan's library grand ceiling.

Qasr Al Watan's library is based in the presidential palace.