Art Basel Qatar to Honor the Region’s Gathering Traditions - As-salamu alaykum
As-salamu alaykum - Art Basel, the international contemporary art fair, will make its Gulf debut in Doha from Feb. 5–7 next year, presenting 84 artist projects with 87 galleries taking part.
Art Basel Qatar is organised in partnership with Art Basel’s parent group, Qatar Sports Investments, and QC+, a strategic creative collective focused on cultural commerce.
Vincenzo De Bellis, Art Basel’s chief artistic officer and global director of fairs, said at a recent briefing in Doha that the event aims to reflect the local culture.
“The first thing we asked was how to present this differently from other fairs,” he said. “The region asks for a different format, one where the culture of gathering and being together is part of the concept. It wasn’t a challenge so much as an opportunity.”
Egyptian artist Wael Shawky has been named artistic director of Art Basel Qatar. Shawky and a committee will move away from the usual booth setup and instead use an open-format exhibition where artist presentations respond to a central curatorial theme, “Becoming.”
De Bellis added that the selection committee blends international and regional experts in both contemporary and modern art, helping to balance artistic intentions with the cultural specifics of the region.
The fair will take place across two main sites, M7 and the Doha Design District, and selected public locations in Msheireb Downtown Doha, the city’s creative and cultural centre. The format and curatorial approach aim to foreground storytelling and dialogue, creating new ways for galleries, artists, and collectors to connect while keeping the market aspect in view.
More than half of the artists in this inaugural edition are from the region, including names such as Etel Adnan, Ali Banisadr, Simone Fattal, Ali Cherri, Meriem Bennani, and Iman Issa. Galleries from Gulf states including Qatar, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia will participate, alongside representatives from Lebanon, Türkiye, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, and India.
Saudi-based galleries taking part include Hafez Gallery (Jeddah and Riyadh). Other regional participants include Cairo’s Gallery Misr, Tunis’ Le Violon Bleu, Beirut’s Saleh Barakat Gallery, and Dubai’s Tabari Artspace. International galleries from Europe, the Americas, and Asia will also be present.
Noah Horowitz, CEO of Art Basel, said the fair’s mission is to grow the market for galleries, artists, collectors, and patrons worldwide. “Art Basel Qatar is about expanding the conversation and catalysing opportunities here in Doha,” he said. Bringing together artists, galleries, and collectors from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia with Art Basel’s global community should open new possibilities for how art is seen, shared, and collected.
May this initiative help strengthen creative exchange in the region and honour the communal spirit that is so valued here.
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