Doha, Qatar: Qatar Museums (QM) has unveiled the curatorial programme and participating artists for the inaugural Rubaiya Qatar, a new international visual arts quadrennial that will run from November 21, 2026, to April 30, 2027.
Presented by QM and organised under Al Riwaq Arts + Architecture, its institutional home and principal venue, the event will span the newly renovated Al Riwaq building, the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), Katara QM Gallery, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art and public sites across the country.
Established under the leadership of QM Chairperson H E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the quadrennial aims to inspire and empower new generations of artists and thinkers.
The first edition focuses on global ecology, the social, political, economic and cultural importance of water, and the maritime heritage that linked Qatar with the world. More than 120 regional and international artists from over 45 countries will take part, with particular attention to the Global Majority.
Leading the line-up is the headline exhibition Unruly Waters, curated by Tom Eccles, Ruba Katrib, Shabbir Hussain Mustafa and Mark Rappolt. It will present more than 30 new commissions by artists including Qatar’s Sophia Al-Maria and Majid Al-Remaihi, alongside Bani Abidi, Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Alia Farid, Ayoung Kim, Oscar Murillo and Marina Tabassum.
On view at Al Riwaq, MIA and MIA Park, the exhibition takes its title from historian Sunil Amrith’s book and traces how trade winds, monsoons and ocean currents have shaped cross-cultural exchange. Highlights include artefacts from the tenth-century Cirebon shipwreck, long held in QM’s collections, displayed alongside contemporary works. Deputy CEO of Al Riwaq Arts + Architecture, Public Art and Rubaiya Qatar Sheikha Reem Al Thani said the quadrennial reflects a commitment to supporting artistic research, experimentation and production over the long term.
“Rubaiya Qatar is an investment in cultural production, international exchange and the relationships that will shape future generations of artists, thinkers and audiences,” she said.
Rubaiya Qatar Director Sheikha Alanood Al Thani said: “Cultural institutions in the SWANA region are no longer merely participating in the global discourse about contemporary art. They are setting its tone and shaping its future.” Our Common Currents, at Katara QM Gallery from November 22, explores humanity’s relationship with water through works by 12 international artists, including four new commissions and loans from the future Art Mill Museum. It is curated by Lina Patmali.
At Mathaf, Seething Sea, curated by Wadha Al-Aqeedi, takes its title from the Holy Qur’an and examines how faith, folklore and craft have shaped the Gulf’s understanding of its waters. It brings together more than 50 artists and over 80 works, including a new large-scale commission by Jasem AlSanea.
Major public art installations will also debut across the country. They include Rirkrit Tiravanija’s return to MIA Park, Lubna Chowdhary’s intervention at the Barzan Towers, Minerva Cuevas’ mural at the National Museum of Qatar metro station and Shaikha Hala Al Khalifa’s playground in Al Khor.
A five-month programme of talks, performances, workshops, film screenings and tours will involve more than 130 artists, curators and thinkers. The name Rubaiya comes from the Arabic word rubā, meaning “fourfold”, reflecting the quadrennial’s four-year cycle.
