The internationally acclaimed Egyptian-born artist Wael Shawky has been appointed the first Artistic Director of QM’s creative hub, Fire Station: Artist in Residence. Shawky will oversee the institution’s prestigious program, which has fostered the work of almost one hundred emerging artists from Qatar and its region to date.
Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, said, “Wael Shawky is widely admired as one of the most exciting artists on today’s international scene, as well as a scholar and educator with a deep commitment to nurturing the younger generation. In the newly established position of Artistic Director, he will build on the existing success of Fire Station: Artist in Residence and help lift the institution to its next level, contributing powerfully to the work of Qatar Museums in fostering talent and developing the creative industries here and throughout our region.”
Wael Shawky, who plans to transform the Fire Station into a platform for educational programs starting in September 2025, said, “There is no separation in my mind between pursuing my artistic practice and fostering the next generation of Arab artists. We live in a moment that urgently demands creativity in both arenas. That’s why I founded MASS Alexandria, my independent, not-for-profit art school in Egypt, and it’s why I have been so enthusiastic about Qatar’s Fire Station: Artist in Residence, following its work from the earliest days and seeing its remarkable impact on artists and their audiences.
“I look forward to collaborating with the extraordinary team at Qatar Museums, which is doing so much to transform the possibilities of art throughout the Middle East.” – Wael Shawky
Based in Alexandria and Philadelphia, Wael Shawky most recently won acclaim for his video work, Drama 1882, representing Egypt at the 60th International Art Exhibition at the Venice Biennale (2024). His work, which ranges widely among film, performance, and storytelling, has been the subject of solo exhibitions at institutions including Tate Modern (2022), Kunsthaus Bregenz (2016), MoMA PS1 (2015), Serpentine Gallery (2013), and The Hammer (2013), among others, including QM’s Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, which presented his Crusades and Other Stories in 2015. He has participated in major international exhibitions, including the 14th Istanbul Biennial (2015), the 11th Sharjah Biennial (2013), Documenta 13 (2012), the 9th Gwangju Biennial (2012), and SITE Santa Fe (2008). He founded MASS Alexandria, an independent studio program for young artists, in 2010.
Qatar Museums (QM), the nation’s preeminent institution for art and culture, provides authentic and inspiring cultural experiences through a growing network of museums, heritage sites, festivals, public art installations, and programmes. QM preserves, restores, and expands the nation’s cultural offerings and historical sites, sharing art and culture from Qatar, the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA) region with the world and enriching the lives of citizens, residents, and visitors.
Under the patronage of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and led by its Chairperson, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, QM has made Qatar a vibrant centre for the arts, culture, and education in the Middle East and beyond. QM is integral to developing an innovative, diverse, and progressive nation, bringing people together to ignite new thinking, spark critical cultural conversations, educate and encourage environmental stewardship and sustainable practices, and amplify the voices of Qatar’s people. Since its founding in 2005, QM has overseen the Museum of Islamic Art and MIA Park, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the National Museum of Qatar, QM Gallery Al Riwaq, QM Gallery Katara and the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum. Future museums include Dadu, the Children’s Museum of Qatar, the Qatar Auto Museum, the Art Mill Museum and the Lusail Museum.
The Fire Station is a world-class artist residency programme for residents of Qatar designed to nurture, energize and promote the country’s artistic and creative community and enrich the art scene in Qatar. Founded in 2015 and located in a fire station repurposed by Qatari architect Ibrahim Mohamed Jaidah, the Fire Station offers a nine-month programme for creatives across all disciplines, enabling young artists to cultivate their talent through production support, curatorial advice, and expert mentorships. During the residency, artists engage with professionals worldwide who recognize Qatar as a growing centre of artistic talent and creativity. Over the past six years, the programme has welcomed 92 artists and expanded its duration to include a three-month stint at the prestigious Cite Internationale des Art in Paris and New York City at Studio 209 NY, which is part of the International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP).
The Fire Station includes extensive studio spaces, a theatre, the popular restaurant Café #999, a bookshop, an art supply shop, and gallery spaces presenting inspiring local and international exhibitions. The Fire Station has also hosted world-class exhibitions organized by Qatar Museums within its expansive Garage Gallery, including Pipilotti Rist: Electric Idyll (2024), Experience Al Jazeera (2022), Virgil Abloh: “Figures of Speech” (2021), Picassos Studios (2020), KAWS: He Eats Alone (2019) curated by renown art historian Germano Celant, Kazimir Malevich: Genius of the Russian Avant-garde (2019), Russian Avant-garde Pioneers and Direct Descendants (2018), Laundromat by Ai Weiwei (2018), German Encounters – Contemporary Masterworks from the Deutsche Bank Collection (2017), and Picasso-Giacometti (2017). The Fire Station is headed by Director Khalifa Al Obaidly, the renowned Qatari photographer.