An Inside Look at the
ARAK Collection

A decade ago, a 15-day trip via the Rovos Rail from Dar es Salaam to Cape Town reshaped AbdulRahman Al Khelaifi’s relationship with art. It planted the seeds for what would become ARAK Collection, today the largest contemporary African art collection in the world, spanning works from more than 30 countries. Since then, ARAK Collection has evolved beyond collecting, expanding into fellowships, writing programs, education, and research collaborations that place artists and creators at the center of their own narratives. In this conversation with ult.society, Al Khelaifi reflects on the collection’s origins, its expanding mission, and its future home in Doha.