Art Basel Appoints Wassan Al-Khudhairi as Artistic Director for 2027 Qatar Edition
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Art Basel has appointed Iraqi curator Wassan Al-Khudhairi as artistic director of the 2027 edition of Art Basel Qatar, the organization announced, marking a key leadership transition as the fair continues to expand its presence in the Middle East.
Al-Khudhairi will succeed artist Wael Shawky, director of Qatar Museums’ Fire Station: Artist-in-Residence Program, who played a central role in shaping the curatorial vision for the inaugural edition alongside Vincenzo de Bellis, Art Basel’s chief artistic officer and global director of fairs. Shawky’s work helped establish the conceptual and structural framework for the fair’s debut, organizers said.
In her new position, Al-Khudhairi will work closely with de Bellis to define the artistic and curatorial direction of the 2027 edition and will oversee the gallery selection process in collaboration with the fair’s selection committee. The second edition of Art Basel Qatar is scheduled to take place Jan. 28-30, 2027, with preview days planned for Jan. 26-27. Qatar Airways will serve as the fair’s premium partner.
Alongside the leadership announcement, Art Basel also unveiled the curatorial theme for the 2027 edition: “between / بين.” The theme is intended to examine the concept of “between” as a generative and open space, emphasizing relation, transition, and exchange rather than fixed categories or definitions.
Organizers said the theme will guide the fair’s artistic program, including gallery presentations and expanded special projects, which are expected to play a larger role in the 2027 edition.
Al-Khudhairi brings extensive regional and international curatorial experience to the role, with a professional background spanning museum leadership, biennials, and independent curatorial practice. She previously served as the founding director of Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in Qatar, where she oversaw the institution’s opening in 2010 and led landmark exhibitions that helped establish its regional and international profile.
Among those exhibitions were Sajjil: A Century of Modern Art, a major survey of modern Arab art, and Cai Guo-Qiang’s Saraab, which further positioned Mathaf as a platform for global contemporary dialogue.
Art Basel officials said her long-standing connection to Qatar and the broader MENASA (Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia) region informed her selection for the role, noting her experience in building cultural institutions and engaging diverse audiences.
Al-Khudhairi is currently a partner at The Curatorial / Office, a curatorial practice focused on extending curatorial strategies beyond traditional museum settings. She has also participated in recent international projects, including the 2025 Hawaii Triennial ALOHA NŌ.
Her biennial experience includes serving as co-artistic director of the 9th Gwangju Biennial in South Korea, titled ROUNDTABLE, and co-curator of the 6th Asian Art Biennial in Taiwan, titled Negotiating the Future. From 2007 to 2012, she was the founding director of Mathaf.
Her institutional experience also includes serving as Ferring Foundation chief curator at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, where she organized numerous solo and thematic exhibitions featuring artists such as Hajra Waheed, Dominic Chambers, Gala Porras-Kim, Martine Gutierrez, Farah Al Qasimi, Shara Hughes, Derek Fordjour, and Ebony G. Patterson.
During her tenure at the museum, she also co-produced the Radio Resistance podcast, which accompanied the thematic exhibition Stories of Resistance, expanding the institution’s engagement with public programming and contemporary discourse.
Earlier in her career, Al-Khudhairi served as the Hugh Kaul curator of modern and contemporary art at the Birmingham Museum of Art, where she organized Third Space: Shifting Conversations About Contemporary Art. The accompanying publication received an Award for Excellence from the American Association of Museum Curators in 2019.
She is a graduate of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London, where she earned a master’s degree in Islamic art and architecture. She has also participated in the Getty Leadership Institute and the Center for Curatorial Leadership fellowship program. In 2020, she received ArtTable’s New Leadership Award.
Art Basel Qatar organizers said the 2027 edition will continue the curated format introduced in the inaugural fair, with gallery presentations structured as focused solo showcases. The format is designed to highlight individual artistic practices while aligning with the fair’s overarching curatorial framework.
The fair will again be staged across Msheireb Downtown Doha, including the Doha Design District (DDD) and M7 cultural forum. Organizers said the 2027 edition will significantly expand its Special Projects sector, with immersive installations and expanded programming intended to deepen audience engagement.
The fair aims to further strengthen the region’s cultural ecosystem and expand dialogue between the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and the global contemporary art market.
