US EditionCurated, Contextual, Slower and Strategic: A New Blueprint for Art Fairs Emerges in Doha
The fair features 87 galleries from 31 countries presenting 84 artists in solo exhibitions emphasizing deeper engagement over scale, curated under the theme 'Becoming.'
- On February 5, Art Basel Qatar opened in Msheireb Downtown Doha, running through February 7, 2026.
- Designed as a city-specific format rooted in Qatar and the wider region, the event was curated by Wael Shawky and Vincenzo de Bellis under the theme `Becoming` using a research-driven approach.
- Unlike other Art Basel events, the Doha fair presents exclusively solo presentations, while its multi-site structure and satellite events create a biennale-like rhythm with public performances and site-specific works engaging Doha's architecture and social spaces.
- For many regional galleries, the fair marks their first Art Basel participation, including Gallery Misr, Cairo, Tabari Artspace, Dubai, and Saleh Barakat Gallery, Beirut, giving space to present fuller narratives to international audiences.
- Addressing contested histories, the programme includes works confronting regional violence, from Shireen Gandhy's Gaza wallpaper to Adel Abidin's erased slave rebellions, while organisers ask visitors to `go slower, go deeper`.
12 Articles
12 Articles
David Beckham and Angelina Jolie show off at the opening of the largest contemporary art fair, which opens branch office in Doha while Qatar aspires to consolidate itself as the art capital in the Middle East Read
On the Ground at Art Basel Qatar: 84 Booths, a Sprinkle of Sales, and One Place to Drink
All imagery courtesy of Art Basel Qatar. Fairs are largely rote exercises for the veteran art professional. Sure, each has its variants. But given that the first Art Basel premiered 56 years ago, the overall cadence is familiar. Galleries email PDF previews in advance; they triumphantly announce a spate of sales before the end of the VIP preview; a litany of dinners, basement parties, and brand activations follows. Yet even the most seasoned pr…
Art Basel, Qatar, participates in 87 international galleries for more than 84 artists, more than half of whom are from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia. The exhibition is held in two main locations.
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