Art Basel Qatar Special

I take immense pleasure in welcoming you to the first issue of Q+A magazine, Qatar Museums’ newest publication. In these pages, among many other things, we celebrate the inaugural edition of Art Basel Qatar, a vision of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of Qatar. Having invested five decades in cultural infrastructure, the time has come to support the growth of the art market in our region.

From its beginnings in Basel in 1970, to expansions in Miami Beach, Hong Kong and most recently Paris, Art Basel has come to define the very idea of the global art fair. Now, in February 2026, I am proud and honoured to be celebrating its arrival in Doha, at the M7 creative hub in Msheireb, a pedestrian-friendly neighbourhood where design is embodied on every corner. This new chapter promises to be a landmark moment: Art Basel’s pedigree meets the surging energy of Qatar’s dynamic art market, spotlighting extraordinary talent in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia.

With Art Basel recently marking its landmark 55th year, we are celebrating several milestones of our own in Qatar. We have come together with a special sense of celebration under the theme “Evolution Nation”, a tribute to five decades of creativity, heritage and cultural dynamism. The dawn of Evolution Nation last year marked the 50th anniversary of the National Museum of Qatar and the 20th anniversary of Qatar Museums, of which I am the chairperson. Since its founding, Qatar Museums, or as it is widely known, QM, has served as the nation’s preeminent institution for art and culture, developing and operating a growing network of museums, heritage sites, festivals, public-art installations and cultural initiatives that continue to shape the nation’s creative landscape.

Twice a year, under the banner of Qatar Creates, Qatar Museums ignites Doha with groundbreaking exhibitions, thought-provoking commissions and cross-cultural collaborations. This season has been even more special, as we celebrate the landmark anniversaries mentioned above, plus several more across our museums – moments that honour our past while shaping the future of culture in Qatar. 

At Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the museum’s 15th anniversary is marked by two exhibitions that explore resilience, identity and the evolving role of modern Arab art. Three more institutions are also marking 15 years: the Al Riwaq Art Space, recently renovated by architect Rem Koolhaas; the Katara Cultural Village, an invaluable home for festivals and performance; and the Doha Film Institute, which I am very proud to chair. Other cultural spaces, meanwhile, are just getting started. The Qatar Foundation’s new Lawh Wa Qalam: M. F. Husain Museum honours the artist known as “the Picasso of India”. 

This season, two exhibitions laud the legacy of I.M. Pei, one of the most visionary architects of our time, who has transformed skylines across the globe and given Qatar its architectural jewel, the Museum of Islamic Art. I.M. Pei and the Making of the Museum of Islamic Art: From Square to Octagon and Octagon to Circle is on at the Museum of Islamic Art, and I.M. Pei: Life Is Architecture is at Al Riwaq. At Qatar Preparatory School and the National Museum of Qatar, Countryside: A Place to Live, Not to Leave opens a timely dialogue about land, sustainability and rural futures, while at the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street traces the global rise of the training shoe, following its journey from athletic wear to cultural icon. Find out more about these exhibitions in the following pages, alongside a collection of pieces celebrating the many, perhaps surprising, connections between Qatar and Switzerland that have helped pave the road to Art Basel’s arrival in Doha.

I hope you enjoy this issue, and that after reading these stories and learning about the remarkable individuals who draw inspiration from Qatar, you can join us for Art Basel Qatar. It will be a moment of history, of heritage and of new horizons.

al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani