Wael Shawky named artistic director of Art Basel Qatar

Egyptian artist Wael Shawky says it is a 'privilege' to work with Art Basel on its new format. Photo: Art Basel

Egyptian artist Wael Shawky has been named artistic director of Art Basel Qatar.

The appointment cements the reimagining of the fair's format for its Gulf debut, moving away from conventional booths to a more open, interwoven setting.

The event will run from February 5 to 7, with preview days on February 3 and 4. It will be held across M7 and the Doha Design District. Select installations and exhibitions will also be presented in Msheireb, Doha’s cultural hub.

Shawky, who represented Egypt at the 2024 Venice Biennale, is best known for his ambitious works that blend historical narrative, myth and contemporary critique. His Cabaret Crusades trilogy, featuring intricately crafted puppets retelling the Crusades from an Arab perspective, has been exhibited internationally.

More recently, he has taken on an institutional role as artistic director of Qatar Museums’ Fire Station, where he has overseen new public programmes and artist residencies.

While fair directorships are typically held by curators or market specialists, Shawky’s appointment marks a shift toward a model led by an practising artist.

Rather than traditional booths, participating galleries will present solo exhibitions within a shared curatorial framework, offering a narrative-led experience.

Presentations will pivot around the fair’s theme of Becoming. The concept is described on the Art Basel website as “a meditation on humanity’s ongoing transformation and the evolving systems that shape how we live, believe, and create meaning”.

“It is a privilege to work with Art Basel on this groundbreaking new format,” Shawky said in a statement to Cairo Scene. “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.”

Visitors admire artworks at Art Basel in Hong Kong. The Qatar event will move away from the traditional booth format. Photo: SCMP

Shawky will lead the artistic vision of the fair alongside Vincenzo de Bellis, Art Basel’s director of fairs and exhibition platforms.

“I have a huge amount of respect for Wael’s work as an artist and also for his knowledge of the region,” de Bellis told Artnet. “We have always hired people who are very rooted within where we operate. Wael is a well-rounded art professional; while being always and first and foremost an artist, he is also able to look at things through a wider lens.”

The new fair comes as part of a partnership between Art Basel, Qatar Sports Investments and cultural commercial enterprise QC+.