Canvas reviews the first Art Basel Qatar as a fair that puts the artist at the centre, and speaks to Hazem Harb about his solo presentation with Tabari.
Under the artistic direction of the Egyptian artist Wael Shawky, each of the 87 galleries at Art Basel Qatar was asked to choose a single artist from its programme in response to the theme Becoming. Canvas describes the result as closer to a biennial than a fair, spread across the Doha Design District and M7 in Msheireb Downtown Doha, with ten Special Projects reaching as far as the Museum of Islamic Art.
The review argues that this format gave visitors time to look closely at each practice. In that context it turns to Hazem Harb, at the fair with Tabari, whose body of work invites reflection on cultural identity and memory through shared histories and archaeology. Harb tells the magazine that the solo format gave him the chance to show his work in a more intimate setting, to build a deeper connection with the audience and to share his story in a way that resonates more personally. The piece is illustrated with a work from his series Reformulated Archaeology (2018).
Hazem Harb is a Palestinian artist born in Gaza and based in Dubai. Our presentation in Doha drew together collage, installation and sculpture made from 2018 to the present.
