Art Basel Qatar Taps Former Mathaf Director Wassan Al-Khudhairi to Shape 2027 Fair
Art Basel has appointed Iraqi curator Wassan Al-Khudhairi as artistic director of the 2027 edition of Art Basel Qatar, following the fair’s debut earlier this year in Doha. Al-Khudhairi will succeed Egyptian artist Wael Shawky, who shaped the inaugural edition with Art Basel chief artistic officer Vincenzo de Bellis, and the 2027 fair is scheduled for January 28–30 with previews on January 26–27. The event will again take place across Doha Design District and M7 in Msheireb Downtown Doha, continuing a slower, more curated model emphasizing solo presentations and spacious installations. Al-Khudhairi previously served as founding director of Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art from 2007 to 2012 and has worked with platforms including the Gwangju Biennial, the Asian Art Biennial in Taiwan, and the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis. She said the 2027 edition will explore the theme “between,” focused on exchange and connection across geographies and generations.
From This Briefing
This story was covered in Restitution Returns, Museums Under Legal Fire