For its inaugural edition, Art Basel Qatar will depart from the traditional booth model to introduce a new fair format grounded in artistic vision and conceptual rigor. Conceived by Art Basel as a platform to foster deeper engagement with leading galleries and artists from the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and further afield, the show will prioritize an engaging experience that maintains strong market relevance. 

Additionally, Art Basel Qatar is delighted to announce the appointment of internationally acclaimed, Egyptian-born artist Wael Shawky as Artistic Director for the first edition of the fair. Together with Vincenzo de Bellis, Art Basel’s Chief Artistic Officer and Global Director of Fairs, Shawky will lead the curatorial vision of the 2026 edition and guide the gallery selection process, in consultation with the fair's dedicated Selection Committee. He brings deep regional insight and a multidisciplinary approach that aligns with the fair’s ambitions, including plans to transform Qatar Museum’s Fire Station into a platform for educational programs.   

Art Basel Qatar will embrace an open-format exhibition, with solo presentations by galleries responding to a central thematic framework, defined and developed by Art Basel’s artistic leadership to serve as both anchor and catalyst for the show. The exhibition will unfold across two key venues – M7 and the Doha Design District – as well as selected public sites in Msheireb, Doha’s creative and cultural heart.  

Vincenzo de Bellis, Chief Artistic Officer and Global Director of Fairs for Art Basel, said: ‘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. 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. For our inaugural edition, we are thrilled to work with Wael Shawky, who brings a rare combination of intellectual precision, visual imagination, and regional knowledge.’  

In its inaugural edition, Art Basel Qatar will explore the theme ‘Becoming’ – a meditation on humanity’s ongoing transformation and the evolving systems that shape how we live, believe, and create meaning. The Gulf emerges as a living palimpsest – a region where oral traditions intersect with digital networks, and ancient trade routes are reimagined as contemporary flows of culture and capital. Within this layered context, art becomes a vital conduit, translating systemic shifts into form. It acts not only as a witness to history but as an active force in the continual redefinition of human identity. 

Wael Shawky said: ‘It is a privilege to work with Art Basel on this groundbreaking new format. 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. I look forward to collaborating with galleries and artists to help shape a platform that speaks to the complexity and richness of the region while remaining globally relevant.’ 

Based in Doha, Wael Shawky most recently won acclaim for his video work Drama 1882, representing Egypt at the 60th International Art Exhibition at the Venice Biennale (2024). His work, which ranges widely among film, performance, and storytelling, has been the subject of solo exhibitions at institutions including Tate Modern (2022), Kunsthaus Bregenz (2016), MoMA PS1 (2015), Mathaf (2015), Serpentine Gallery (2013), and The Hammer (2013), among others. Shawky’s work is currently on view in the site-specific installation I Am Hymns of the New Temples at LUMA Arles, as well as a solo show at the University of Edinburgh’s Talbot Rice Gallery. He has participated in major international exhibitions including the 14th Istanbul Biennial (2015), the 11th Sharjah Biennial (2013), Documenta 13 (2012), the 9th Gwangju Biennial (2012), and SITE Santa Fe (2008).  

Shawky founded MASS Alexandria, an independent studio program for young artists, in 2010. In October 2024, Shawky was appointed Artistic Director of the Doha Fire Station, where he has launched the Arts Intensive Study Program (AISP) designed to foster critical thinking, hands-on learning, and professional development for a cohort of 20 emerging international and Qatari artists.  

The fair’s dedicated Selection Committee will comprise leading gallery representatives from the region and beyond: Lorenzo Fiaschi, Galleria Continua (San Gimignano, Beijing, Havana, Boissy-le-Châtel, Paris, Rome, Dubai, São Paulo); Shireen Gandhy, Chemould Prescott Road (Mumbai); Daniela Gareh, White Cube (London, Hong Kong, New York, Paris, Seoul); Mohammed Hafiz, Athr Gallery (Jeddah, Al Ula, Riyadh); Sunny Rahbar, The Third Line (Dubai), and Gordon VeneKlasen, Michael Werner Gallery (New York, Athens, Berlin, Los Angeles, London).