In Qatar, a far-flung desert installation 'pilgrimage' awaits visitors

A general view shows the "East-West/West-East" sculpture by American artist Richard Serra during sunset in Qatar's Dukhan desert, west of the capital Doha. Photo: AFP

Deep in the Qatari desert, security guards have a lonely time keeping 24-hour watch over one of the world's most isolated artworks, created by renowned US sculptor Richard Serra.

"On a busy day we can get 100 people," said one guard monitoring the four vertical steel plates - each more than 14m (46 feet) high - that makeup Serra's "East-West/West-East".