untitled 2026 (a gathering of remarkable people)

untitled 2026 builds on Thai artist Rirkrit Tiravanija’s decades-long practice of inviting collaborators to activate his architectural and spatial scenarios. Tiravanija’s maroon-coloured pavilion is modelled on a majlis, a common gathering space in the Middle East and North Africa, and serves as a site for dynamic cultural exchange.

A newly produced film by Qatari-American artist Sophia Al-Maria, D.M.R., 2026, tells the story of a fictional newscaster who is fired from her job. The film follows Al-Maria’s protagonist on a dreamlike journey in which music and sound have the power to transform and expose new realities. Kuwaiti-Puerto Rican artist Alia Farid’s resin sculpture, Jerrican (2026), is from her series of larger-than-life works based on vessels used to store and carry water in the Gulf. Farid’s enormous, lightweight versions recall the decorative casings used for public drinking fountains in the region.

Palestinian chef Fadi Kattan and Lebanese artist Tarek Atoui each draw upon rich traditions in the form of food and music, as key elements of heritage as well as areas for innovation. On select weekends, music and food from across the Arab world will fill the space with the offerings of invited chefs serving culinary items from smoked dates to coffee, and with improvisers who play instruments ranging from the oud to electronica.

The themes within the pavilion speak to issues of migration, exchange, and evolution, and to the ways in which tradition animates daily life. Offering a platform for both critical insight and conviviality, a gathering of remarkable people highlights and celebrates the persistent and evolving nature of Arab culture and is a precursor to a permanent Qatar Pavilion to come.

This exhibition is produced by Qatar Museums and presented by Rubaiya Qatar, Qatar’s contemporary art quadrennial.

Related Events

Throughout the exhibition, the pavilion will host a programme of live performances and culinary events to activate the space.

About Rubaiya Qatar

Rubaiya Qatar is an international contemporary art quadrennial set to open its inaugural edition in November 2026 as a multisite event across Qatar. Conceived to elevate Qatar’s international presence and empower new generations of artists and thinkers, Rubaiya Qatar will present a dynamic programme of exhibitions, commissions, public art projects, residencies, publications, talks, and more.