Art Basel Qatar Unveils Highlights from its Inaugural Edition in 2026

Art Basel Qatar has revealed highlights of its first-ever edition, set to take place from 5 to 7 February 2026 in partnership with Qatar Sports Investment (QSI) and QC+.

The fair will feature 87 galleries and 84 artists, alongside an ambitious Special Projects programme presenting site-specific installations, sculptures, and performances across Msheireb Downtown Doha. 

Curated by Wael Shawky in collaboration with Vincenzo de Bellis, Chief Artistic Officer and Global Director of Art Basel Fairs, the Special Projects programme includes nine large-scale projects reflecting the fair’s theme of “Becoming”. Each work responds to the environment of Doha while exploring identity, socio-political realities, and the broader MENASA region context.

Key Special Projects and Artists

• Abraham Cruzvillegas presents autoconstrucción, examining shifting identities through a large-scale iteration of his ongoing project.

• Bruce Nauman unveils Beckett’s Chair Portrait Rotated, a new 3D video work staged in M7’s theatre.

• Hassan Khan debuts Little Castles and Other Songs, performed on a custom-designed digital system.

• Khalil Rabah presents Transition, exploring domestic, institutional, and industrial spaces.

• Nalini Malani projects My Reality is Different onto the façade of M7, a single-channel adaptation of her nine-channel stop-motion video.

• Nour Jaouda constructs a “rest house” combining steel, architectural sketches, and textiles.

• Rayyane Tabet creates the immersive installation What Dreams May Come| أيُّ أحلامٍ قَدْ تأتي, focusing on rest and reflection.

• Sumayya Vally designs an evolving majlis titled In the Assembly of Lovers, inspired by historical spaces in the Muslim world.

• Sweat Variant (Okwui Okpokwasili and Peter Born) performs a three-hour durational movement piece testing memory and attention.

This collection represents the largest public art display in any Art Basel edition, offering audiences an expansive view of contemporary artistic practices and immersive experiences in Doha.

Art Basel Qatar 2026 promises to be a landmark event, showcasing Doha as a growing cultural hub and providing an immersive experience for art lovers, collectors, and the general public alike.