Qatar Museums Announces Programme for Inaugural Rubaiya Qatar Quadrennial

Overview and Venues

Qatar Museums has revealed the curatorial programme and list of artists for the inaugural Rubaiya Qatar, a new international visual arts quadrennial scheduled to run from November 21, 2026, to April 30, 2027. Presented by Qatar Museums and organised under Al Riwaq Arts + Architecture, which serves as its institutional home and principal venue, the event will occupy the newly renovated Al Riwaq building, the Museum of Islamic Art, Katara QM Gallery, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art and various public sites across the country. Established under the leadership of QM Chairperson HE 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 centres on global ecology, the social, political, economic and cultural importance of water, and the maritime heritage that has linked Qatar with the world. More than 120 regional and international artists from over 45 countries will participate, with particular attention given to the Global Majority.

Headline Exhibition: Unruly Waters

The headline exhibition, titled Unruly Waters, is 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. The exhibition will be on view at Al Riwaq, the Museum of Islamic Art and MIA Park. Its title is drawn from historian Sunil Amrith’s book and it 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 Qatar Museums’ 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. She stated, “Rubaiya Qatar is an investment in cultural production, international exchange and the relationships that will shape future generations of artists, thinkers and audiences.”

Additional Shows and Public Art

Rubaiya Qatar Director Sheikha Alanood Al Thani remarked, “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.” Another component, Our Common Currents, will be shown at the Katara QM Gallery from November 22 and 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, the exhibition 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 debut across the country: Rirkrit Tiravanija returns to MIA Park, Lubna Chowdhary intervenes at the Barzan Towers, Minerva Cuevas creates a mural at the National Museum of Qatar metro station, and Shaikha Hala Al Khalifa designs a playground in Al Khor.

Programme and Significance

A five‑month programme of talks, performances, workshops, film screenings and tours will involve more than 130 artists, curators and thinkers. The name Rubaiya derives from the Arabic word rubā, meaning “fourfold”, reflecting the quadrennial’s four‑year cycle.