Qatar has always been a “between” place in a way. Not quite part of the traditional land-based Silk Route, but as a peninsula in the Persian Gulf, part of the maritime trade routes connecting China, India, Persia, the Arab world and Europe for over 7,000 years now (with the Ubaid culture, dating to 5000 BC, already seafaring).
As of 2026, Art Basel, born in the heart of Europe in the Swiss town of Basel (1970), with expansions into Miami (2002), Hong Kong (2013) and Paris (2022), now hosts an annual fair in Doha. Again, bringing together cultures from all corners of the world.
Wassan Al-Khudhairi, an Iraqi curator, was chosen as the artistic director for the upcoming second edition in January 2027, featuring 80 new single-artist presentations by 82 galleries spanning 37 countries and territories in Msheireb Downtown Doha. She gave it its theme: between / بين.
“The theme for Art Basel Qatar 2027, between / بين, grew out of my interest in the possibilities that emerge when different cultures, generations, geographies and perspectives come together. I wanted to explore the idea of being ‘between’ as a space of opportunity, where new connections, conversations and ways of seeing can take shape. It feels especially relevant to Qatar, which has long been a meeting point for different cultures and ideas. Through this theme, I hope to create a programme that celebrates the richness and diversity of artistic practices rooted in and connected to the region, while opening up new dialogues with the wider world,” states Wassan.
While a global focus and international gallery participation are of interest, fifty percent of the artists and one-third of the galleries are from the MENASA region. An acronym combining the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia, it helps Art Basel Qatar establish its own identity amongst its sister fairs and reinforces Art Basel Qatar’s commitment to strengthening and growing the region.
This edition will return with the format of solo presentations – which are a favourite art fair model of mine, as they permit, especially for artists one might not be too familiar with, a “getting to know” that a mere few works in a booth can never facilitate. The positions and works chosen will respond to the fair’s theme, “between / بين”.
Majlis translates as the room of gathering or the room of sitting together, and if you have had the joy of visiting a traditional house in the region, that is where guests gather for tea and a chat. It also means a gathering of leaders and can have a role similar to that of a parliament. In 2015, the concept of Majlis was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the tenth session of the committee. “The Majlis space is open to all people and may be frequented by family members, tribes and inhabitants of the same neighbourhood, and other remote neighbourhoods. Community elders are considered true bearers, especially those with extensive knowledge concerning nature, genealogy and tribal history.” Why do I tell you that?
Well, in 2027, Qatar is launching its ‘Collectors Majlis’, an invite-only programme for 30–40 individuals who are emerging collectors and will be brought into this pilot masterclass. Who and what qualifies for this invitation is yet to be seen, but I think young, curious, emerging art collectors could at times benefit from a little how-to-art before they get thrown into the mad dash of an art fair and its adjacent industries.
I’m particularly excited for the works by Seher Shah, which were published in the pre-selection of works that will be brought to the fair. A portfolio of eight photogravures on paper, titled Written in Defiance on Stone (detail), will be presented by Green Art Gallery, Dubai. The Pakistani-American printmaker explores themes such as absence and memory through drawing and printmaking.
We look forward to the enigmatic canvases of Pacita Abad, from the late nineties. Silverlens, NY/Manila, is bringing us the work of an unapologetic polyglot the Filipino-American artist, who lived in over 80 countries and whose work exudes joy and defies genres. Make sure to take a look at the back of the canvas, when you have a chance.
Liliane Lijn, an American and the first woman to work with kinetic text, and most likely the first woman to incorporate an electric motor into her work, is the third position we are delighted to see on the roster. She stated in a conversation once that she primarily chooses to “see the world in terms of light and energy”. Her gallery, Sylvia Kouvali, London/Piraeus, will bring work she showed at her Tate Modern exhibition in 2024, Ordet, Milan, 2020, and from her mima, Middlesbrough, show in 2012.
The second edition of Art Basel Qatar will be held from January 28 to 30, 2027, with Preview Days on January 26 and 27.
Galleries are also invited to apply as of now. Keep in mind the theme, defined further by Art Basel as: “between / بين explores the condition of being ‘between’ as a generative space, one that remains open and refuses a singular definition. Rather than arriving at fixed positions, between / بين dwells in relation, holding open a space for encounter, exchange, and fluidity, asking what becomes possible when the ‘between’ is not a gap to be closed, but a place to inhabit.”