Art Basel Qatar 2027 Names Artistic Director and Theme, Phillips Sale Hits $115.2M, and More
Art Basel has named Wassan Al-Khudhairi as the artistic director for its 2027 edition in Qatar, focusing on the theme 'between / نیب', which will explore connections and movement. Al-Khudhairi, founder of the Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha, succeeds Wael Shawky, who oversees the inaugural event in 2026. This appointment reinforces the fair's commitment to artists from the MENA region, South Asia, and the Global South. In other cultural happenings, Phillips' New York auction achieved $115.2 million, marking a 119% year-on-year rise, while the National Trust named the Stonewall National Monument among America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.
Key facts
- Wassan Al-Khudhairi appointed artistic director of Art Basel Qatar 2027
- Curatorial theme 'between / نیب' focuses on encounter and fluidity
- Al-Khudhairi is founding director of Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art
- Phillips evening sale totaled $115.2 million, all 41 lots sold
- P.S. Krøyer self-portrait set auction record at $1.29 million
- National Trust list includes Stonewall National Monument and Angel Island Immigration Station
- Giambattista Valli reacquired full ownership from Artémis
- Ron Howard's 'Avedon' documentary premiered at Cannes 2026
Entities
Artists
- Wassan Al-Khudhairi
- Wael Shawky
- Richard Prince
- Albert Oehlen
- P.S. Krøyer
- Andy Warhol
- Joan Mitchell
- Gerhard Richter
- Mark Bradford
- Agnes Martin
- Claude Monet
- Jackson Pollock
- Salman Toor
- Richard Avedon
- James Baldwin
- Giambattista Valli
- Ron Howard
- Rashid Johnson
- Tilda Swinton
- Gordon Laing
Institutions
- Art Basel
- Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art
- Phillips
- National Trust for Historic Preservation
- Stonewall National Monument
- President's House Site
- Women's Rights National Historical Park
- Angel Island Immigration Station
- Imagine Entertainment
- Fifth Season
- Richard Avedon Foundation
- Harper's Bazaar
- Vogue
- Artémis
- Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture
- Hauser & Wirth
- Guggenheim Bilbao
- Dom Pérignon
- Miu Miu
- Apple
- Christie's
- BMW
- Concorso
- Art Dubai
- Neue Galerie
- Metropolitan Museum
- Frieze New York
- Koyo Kouoh Foundation
- Venice Biennale
- Holy See Pavilion
Locations
- Qatar
- Doha
- M7 creative hub
- Design District
- New York
- California
- Alabama
- Texas
- Four Corners region
- Philadelphia
- Stonewall National Monument
- Angel Island Immigration Station
- Cannes
- Paris
- Milan
- Menorca
- Bilbao
- Tokyo
- SoHo