Wassan Al-Khudhairi, an Iraqi curator, has been appointed by Art Basel as the Artistic Director of the 2027 edition of Art Basel Qatar, presented in partnership withQatar Sports Investments (QSI) and QC+.
Wassan succeeds Wael Shawky, artist and Director of Qatar Museums’ Fire Station: Artist-in-Residence, who shaped the curatorial vision for the inaugural edition alongside Vincenzo de Bellis, Art Basel’s Chief Artistic Officer and Global Director of Fairs.
Wassan will develop the artistic and curatorial vision of the 2027 edition in close collaboration with Vincenzo and will guide the gallery selection process together with the fair’s dedicated Selection Committee. The second edition of Art Basel Qatar will be held from January 28 to 30, 2027, with Preview Days on January 26 and 27. Art Basel Qatar’s Premium Partner isQatar Airways.
Wassan brings both deep regional expertise and a globally informed curatorial practice to the role. Her longstanding connection to Qatar and the MENASA region was shaped most formatively by her tenure as Founding Director of Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in Qatar, where she oversaw its successful opening in 2010 and landmark exhibitions including Sajjil: A Century of Modern Art and Cai Guo-Qiang’s Saraab. A full biography is outlined below.
Gallery Applications Open for Art Basel Qatar 2027
Art Basel Qatar also announces the opening of gallery applications for its 2027 edition and reveals the curatorial theme that will shape the fair’s artistic programme. The theme, 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.
Art Basel Qatar’s Role In The Region’s Art Ecosystem
Building on the momentum of its inaugural edition, Art Basel Qatar continues its long-term commitment to supporting and expanding the region’s art ecosystem while creating new pathways for exchange between the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and the broader international art world.
The strong response to the 2026 fair from galleries, artists, collectors, institutions and cultural leaders affirmed both the global relevance of the platform and the demand for deeper engagement with artistic practices emerging from and connected to the region. The 2027 edition will continue to build on this foundation through an expanded artistic programme, new collaborations and greater opportunities for galleries and audiences to engage with the region’s evolving cultural landscape of the region.
The second edition will maintain the same curated format introduced for the inaugural fair, with gallery presentations taking the form of focused solo showcases that foreground individual artistic voices and respond directly to the fair’s theme. The fair will once again be hosted across Msheireb Downtown Doha in its established venues: the Doha Design District (DDD) and M7 cultural forum. The 2027 edition will significantly elevate its Special Projects sector, offering visitors expanded and unparalleled immersive experiences across multiple formats.
Reflecting on Wassan Al-Khudhairi’s Appointment as Artistic Director
“We are thrilled to welcome Wassan as Artistic Director of Art Basel Qatar 2027,” said Vincenzo.
“I want to express our deep gratitude to Wael Shawky, whose vision and commitment were instrumental in shaping the inaugural edition and establishing the foundation on which we now build.
“Wassan’s longstanding engagement with artists, institutions and audiences across MENASA and beyond positions her exceptionally well to shape the next chapter of the fair. Her curatorial ambition is matched by a deep understanding of how art ecosystems develop – how institutions are built, how markets are nurtured and how education and public engagement create the conditions for long-term growth. The combination of intellectual depth and entrepreneurial institutional vision is exactly what this moment calls for.”
Wassan added:“It is an honour to take on the role of Artistic Director for Art Basel Qatar 2027. Qatar has played a meaningful role in shaping both my career and my curatorial practice and I look forward to bringing that deep connection to this important project.
“Art Basel Qatar represents an exciting new model for what a curated fair can be – one where a rigorous curatorial vision and a thriving art market are not in tension but mutually reinforcing.
“For the 2027 edition, between / بين emerged from a curiosity about what becomes possible when a space is allowed to stay open – not as an absence of definition, but as an invitation for connections across generations, geographies and perspectives. I look forward to building on the strong foundation established by the inaugural edition and to collaborating with
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