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The Gulf State of Art

On the eve of Art Basel’s arrival in Doha, the fair’s inaugural artistic director, Wael Shawky, previews his vision for a more intimate regional fair—and opens up about the future of the Gulf art scene.

Wael Shawky
"Success, for me, is seeing artists properly encountered, galleries feeling supported, and audiences staying longer than they expected," says Art Basel Qatar artistic director Wael Shawky. Photo: Jinane Ennasri/Courtesy of Art Basel
Dan Duray
February 1, 2026

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This week, Art Basel Qatar will launch in Doha—the first fair produced by the Swiss art giant in partnership with local entities Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) and QC+. It’s a unique arrangement in many ways. While Art Basel’s other fairs have been driven by organic commercial opportunities, this one is meant to prime the pump of arts infrastructure growth in Doha. To that end, they’ve brought on the Egyptian artist Wael Shawky to serve as artistic director.