Qatar hosts first Middle Eastern edition of world-famous art fair

Qatar’s art scene is preparing for a landmark moment as the internationally revered Art Basel event arrives in Doha for the first time, adding a major new fixture to the region’s cultural calendar.

The internationally renowned art fair, founded in Switzerland in 1970, will debut in the Qatari capital in a format designed specifically for the city rather than replicating its established models elsewhere.

The two-day event will bring together 87 galleries from 31 countries, presenting works by 84 artists. Curated by Egyptian artist Wael Shawky and developed in collaboration with Art Basel’s chief artistic officer and global director Vincenzo de Bellis, the fair carries the theme Becoming, exploring ideas of metamorphosis, transition, upheaval and liminal states, according to an article by The National.

“This was not about reproducing an existing model in a new geography,” Shawky says. “It was a chance to co-create something new, rooted in and inspired by Qatar and the wider region. What excited me most was the idea of bringing artists and galleries from the region into conversation with the international art world.”

Shawky said the open format “places each artist’s practice in context,” adding: “It gives each gallery the space to present a complete thought, a fuller narrative, and grants audiences the time to really engage with these stories.”

Produced in partnership with Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) and QC+, the commercial arm of Qatar Museums, the fair is being positioned as a turning point for the fast-growing Gulf art market. It marks the “beginning of a bold and unique undertaking,” said Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, chairperson of Qatar Museums.

While the Gulf already hosts major regional fairs such as Art Dubai and Abu Dhabi Art—soon to be joined by Frieze Abu Dhabi—these events are not widely seen as essential destinations, even among Gulf collectors. Art Basel Qatar, however, appears set to break that pattern, according to Art Net.

“This fair is good for two main reasons,” Saudi collector Khalid Al Shoaibi told the publication. “One, first and foremost, is that the art is of a very high standard, from a local and an international perspective. Secondly, I like the format; it’s small but not too small, and it showcases how elegant the city of Doha is.”

For many galleries in the region, the Doha fair represents their first participation in an Art Basel event, including Gallery Misr from Cairo, Dubai’s Tabari Artspace and Beirut’s Saleh Barakat Gallery. Beyond the gallery presentations, a programme of satellite events and public performances will unfold across the city, giving the fair a rhythm closer to a biennale—albeit one where the works are for sale.

In a departure from other Art Basel editions, with the most prominent ones being the editions in Miami, Paris and Hong Kong besides the original event in the Swiss city of Basel, the Doha fair will feature exclusively solo presentations, with more than half of the participating artists hailing from the Gulf region.

“The multi-site structure and solo format propose a different rhythm for the art fair,” De Bellis says. “One that reflects our belief that relevance today is built not through scale alone, but through attention, context and depth. Through site-specific works and performances, the fair extends into the city itself, allowing artists to engage directly with Doha’s architecture, social spaces and cultural fabric.”

The inaugural event will take place across Doha's M7 and the Doha Design District in the city’s chic Msheireb district from February 5 to 7.

By Nazrin Sadigova