Art Basel 2026: Featuring Qatari artist Yousef Ahmad

Yousef Ahmad was born in Doha, Qatar 1955, Youssef Ahmad obtained a bachelor’s degree in fine arts and education from Helwan University, and a master’s degree in fine arts from Mills College, California, in 1982. Ahmed was appointed as the Head of Department Fine Arts in Ministry of Information and taught art history, drawing fundamentals, and art appreciation at Qatar University, a position he held f or more than 20 years. He serves as an advisor to Museum of Contemporary Arab Art and Qatar Foundation and works as an art consultant for many exhibitions in Arab world. played a significant role in building the collection that later became Museum of Modern Arab Art.

Yousef Ahmad is considered a pioneer in Modern art movement in Qatar. His works create meticulous abstractions that blend Arabic lines, inspired by the vast desert landscape of Qatar. Ahmed recalls drawing on walls of his neighborhood using charcoal remnants from the stove when he was a child. In his ongoing artistic practice, he has dedicated himself to shaping a local aesthetic, drawing inspiration from natural environment through his choices of color, texture, and materials, which he often crafts himself.