Egyptian-born artist Wael Shawky has been appointed the artistic director of Art Basel’s first edition in Qatar. The 2026 fair will take place from February 5th to 7th, with VIP days on February 3rd and 4th. Art Basel Qatar will unfold across two main venues—M7 and the Doha Design District—with additional activations in public sites throughout Msheireb Downtown Doha.
It is rare for an artist to take on the role of directing an art fair. Art Basel Qatar, however, is planning to break the art fair mold in several other ways. Rather than a mix of group and solo presentations, the fair’s 50 or so galleries will each present a solo booth. For the fair’s inaugural edition, these presentations will be curated by Shawky around the theme “Becoming.” According to Art Basel, works included will examine transformation and the systems that shape belief, identity, and meaning in the Gulf 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 Vicenzo de Bellis, Art Basel’s global director of fairs. “This format allows us to support galleries in presenting artists’ work with greater depth and resonance. Doha is an ideal context for this evolution: It is a place where cultural ambition meets a rich and layered history, and where experimentation is both welcomed and supported.”
Based in Doha, Shawky is known for his drawings, paintings, installations, and films to chart and examine the history of the Middle East. The artist represented Egypt at the 2024 Venice Biennale, where he presented Drama 1882, a film focusing on the Urabi nationalist revolt in Egypt. The film was also on view at MOCA Los Angeles earlier this year. The artist is also presenting “I Am Hymns of the New Temples” at LUMA Arles in France, on view through May 3, 2026.
Since October 2024, Shawky has also served as artistic director of the Doha Fire Station, where he launched the Arts Intensive Study Program for 20 emerging Qatari and international artists. That venue will host educational programming tied to the fair. Art Basel describes the format as one designed to support deeper artistic engagement while maintaining strong market relevance.
“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 said in a statement.
A selection committee of gallery representatives will assist in shaping the fair’s roster. Members include Lorenzo Fiaschi, director of Galleria Continua; Shireen Gandhy, director of Chemould Prescott Road; Daniela Gareh, global board director of White Cube; Mohammed Hafiz, founder of ATHRhr Gallery; Sunny Rahbar, co-founder of The Third Line; and Gordon VeneKlasen, a partner at Michael Werner Gallery.
