Wael Shawky

Wael Shawky was born in Alexandria, Egypt in 1971 and studied at the University of Alexandria before taking a Master's Degree in Fine Arts at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, USA in 2001. Known for his rich, multidisciplinary practice, Shawky brings a profound understanding of the region and a passion for storytelling, research, and experimentation.

Based on extensive periods of research and enquiry, Wael Shawky's work tackles notions of national, religious and artistic identity through film, performance and storytelling. His work ranges widely among film, performance, and storytelling, and has been the subject of solo exhibitions at institutions including Tate Modern (2022), Kunsthaus Bregenz (2016), MoMA PS1 (2015), Mathaf (2015), Serpentine Gallery (2013), and The Hammer (2013), among others. His work is represented by Lisson Gallery and Sfeir-Semler Gallery.

Career history

• Since 2024, Artistic Director of the Doha Fire Station, where he launched the Arts Intensive Study Program (AISP)
• Artistic Director for the inaugural edition of Art Basel Qatar (2026)
• Represented Egypt at the 60th Venice Biennale in 2024 with the video work Drama 1882
• Founded MASS Alexandria in 2010, an independent studio programme for young artists in Alexandria, Egypt
• Creator of the acclaimed Cabaret Crusades trilogy (2010-2015), a film series featuring marionettes and exploring the history of the Crusades from an Arab perspective

Collaborating closely with Vincenzo de Bellis, Art Basel's Chief Artistic Officer and Global Director of Fairs, Shawky will steer the curatorial direction and gallery selection for the inaugural edition of Art Basel Qatar, set to take place from February 5–7, 2026. What Wael Shawky could bring to Art Basel Qatar: His extensive experience directing MASS Alexandria and the Doha Fire Station demonstrates a proven commitment to institutional curation and artist development. His international exhibition history and acclaimed artistic practice position him to bridge global and regional perspectives, while his fluency in curatorial frameworks grounded in research-based storytelling could elevate the fair's ambition to explore Middle Eastern and North African artistic practices with intellectual rigor. His selection as the first artist-led director at Art Basel signals his capacity to reimagine traditional fair structures through an artist's sensibility.