When Art Basel opens its first edition in Doha on Tuesday, the difference—from other editions—will be immediately apparent. This is the smallest Basel fair by far: just 85 galleries, all of them mounting solo presentations, in a layout that feels closer to a curated exhibition than a commercial free-for-all. For comparison there were 206 galleries in Paris and 283 in Miami. While sources have told me that following editions in Qatar will grow to Paris- and Miami-size, the smaller scale for the first edition is deliberate. Unlike the sister fairs, where aisles can blur into one another and it’s not unusual to see the artist du jour in multiple booths, Art Basel Qatar has imposed tight limits. Source link