New thematic format to spotlight artists and galleries across MENA, South Asia, and beyond.
Wael Shawky, Artistic Director, Art Basel Qatar. Courtesy of Art Basel.
Art Basel has unveiled its newest venture: a forward-looking fair in Doha that reimagines the traditional art fair format. Set to run from February 5 to 7, 2026, with preview days on February 3 and 4, Art Basel Qatar will be hosted at M7 in Doha’s Design District and across selected public spaces in Msheireb. The fair will centre on solo presentations by leading international galleries, responding to a thematic framework instead of a conventional booth arrangement.
Egyptian artist Wael Shawky has been appointed Artistic Director for the inaugural edition, working closely with Vincenzo de Bellis, Art Basel’s Chief Artistic Officer and Global Director of Fairs. Together, they aim to position the fair as a site of deep artistic engagement, curatorial experimentation, and cultural exchange across the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and beyond.
“With Art Basel Qatar, we are pushing the boundaries of the art fair model—placing artistic intention at its core while responding to today’s market,” said de Bellis. “Doha is a place where cultural ambition meets a rich and layered history, and where experimentation is welcomed and supported.”
The 2026 edition will explore the theme ‘Becoming’—a reflection on humanity’s continuous transformation and the systems that shape belief, identity, and meaning. Within this framework, the Gulf is imagined as a “living palimpsest,” where ancient oral traditions and global trade routes intersect with digital networks and contemporary flows of capital.
For Shawky, who represented Egypt at the 2024 Venice Biennale with his acclaimed video work Drama 1882, the role aligns with his longstanding commitment to narrative, research, and regional dialogue. “It is a privilege to work with Art Basel on this groundbreaking new format,” he said. “The opportunity to explore artistic practices from across the MENA region and beyond, within a framework that values research, narrative, and experimentation, is extremely meaningful to me.”
Shawky’s practice spans film, performance, and installation, with major solo exhibitions at Tate Modern, MoMA PS1, and Mathaf, among others. He is also the founder of MASS Alexandria, an independent program for emerging artists. Since October 2024, he has served as Artistic Director of Doha’s Fire Station, where he launched the Arts Intensive Study Program to support the development of early-career Qatari and international artists.
Art Basel Qatar’s curatorial model includes a selection committee composed of representatives from globally respected galleries, including Lorenzo Fiaschi (Galleria Continua), Shireen Gandhy (Chemould Prescott Road), Daniela Gareh (White Cube), Mohammed Hafiz (Athr Gallery), Sunny Rahbar (The Third Line), and Gordon VeneKlasen (Michael Werner Gallery). Their collective expertise will shape the gallery presentations for the debut edition.
By introducing a thematic and artist-led format in a region undergoing rapid cultural transformation, Art Basel Qatar seeks not only to reflect the vibrancy of its context but to shape a more inclusive and resonant global art discourse actively.
For more information, please visit Art Basel Qatar.
