ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

10 National Pavilions Previewed for the 61st Venice Biennale

exhibition · 2026-04-30

The 61st Venice Biennale (May 9–November 22, 2026) features national pavilions with diverse programs. The Austrian Pavilion presents Florentina Holzinger's 'SeaWorld Venice,' an interdisciplinary project on water, the body, and power. The India Pavilion returns with 'Geographies of Distance: remembering home,' a group exhibition by Alwar Balasubramaniam, Sumakshi Singh, Ranjani Shettar, Asim Waqif, and Skarma Sonam Tashi, curated by Dr. Amin Jaffer. The Uzbekistan Pavilion offers 'The Aural Sea,' focusing on the Aral Sea's ecological legacy. The Nordic Countries Pavilion (Finland, Norway, Sweden) features Klara Kristalova, Benjamin Orlow, and Tori Wrånes in 'How Many Angels Can Dance on the Head of a Pin?' The National Pavilion of Syria presents Sara Shamma's 'The Tower Tomb of Palmyra,' an immersive installation on heritage and loss. The Japan Pavilion hosts Ei Arakawa-Nash's 'Grass Babies, Moon Babies,' a participatory installation with 200 baby dolls. The Danish Pavilion showcases Maja Malou Lyse's 'Things to Come,' examining science, sexuality, and image culture. The Dutch Pavilion features Dries Verhoeven's 'The Fortress,' a performance reimagining Gerrit Rietveld's structure. The Estonian Pavilion presents Merike Estna's 'The House of Leaking Sky,' an evolving studio. The Pavilion of Finland offers Jenna Sutela's 'Aeolian Suite,' a multisensory windscape.

Key facts

  • 61st Venice Biennale runs May 9–November 22, 2026.
  • Austrian Pavilion: Florentina Holzinger, 'SeaWorld Venice,' curated by Nora-Swantje Almes.
  • India Pavilion: group show 'Geographies of Distance: remembering home,' curated by Dr. Amin Jaffer.
  • Uzbekistan Pavilion: 'The Aural Sea,' curated by Aziza Izamova, Thái Hà, Sophie Mayuko Arni, Nico Sun, Kamila Mukhitdinova.
  • Nordic Countries Pavilion: Klara Kristalova, Benjamin Orlow, Tori Wrånes, curated by Anna Mustonen.
  • National Pavilion of Syria: Sara Shamma, 'The Tower Tomb of Palmyra,' curated by Yuko Hasegawa.
  • Japan Pavilion: Ei Arakawa-Nash, 'Grass Babies, Moon Babies,' curated by Lisa Horikawa and Mizuki Takahashi.
  • Danish Pavilion: Maja Malou Lyse, 'Things to Come,' curated by Chus Martínez.
  • Dutch Pavilion: Dries Verhoeven, 'The Fortress,' curated by Rieke Vos.
  • Estonian Pavilion: Merike Estna, 'The House of Leaking Sky,' curated by Natalia Sielewicz.
  • Pavilion of Finland: Jenna Sutela, 'Aeolian Suite,' curated by Stefanie Hessler.

Entities

Artists

Institutions

  • Austrian Pavilion
  • India Pavilion
  • Uzbekistan Pavilion
  • Nordic Countries Pavilion
  • National Pavilion of Syria
  • Japan Pavilion
  • Danish Pavilion
  • Dutch Pavilion
  • Estonian Pavilion
  • Pavilion of Finland
  • Venice Biennale
  • Whitewall
  • Opera Stuttgart
  • Talwar Gallery
  • Frame Contemporary Art Finland
  • Icelandic Art Center
  • Acción Cultural Española
  • Ministerio de Educación y Cultura de Uruguay
  • Dicastero per la Cultura e l’Educazione
  • Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication
  • Zachęta – National Gallery of Art
  • Korean Pavilion
  • Pavilion of the Republic of Kosovo
  • Swiss Pavilion
  • Choir in Motion (Chór w Ruchu)
  • Lithic Alliance
  • ArtReview
  • The New Yorker
  • Zeitz MOCAA
  • Gropius Bau
  • Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation
  • Moderna Galerija
  • Noguchi Foundation
  • Kestner Gesellschaft
  • J. Paul Getty Museum
  • Diriyah Biennale Foundation
  • La Biennale di Venezia
  • The Art Newspaper
  • Singapore Art Museum
  • The Artists' Village
  • Women in the Arts (WITA)
  • OuLiPo
  • Surrealism
  • Artnet
  • Austria Pavilion
  • State Archives of Venice
  • Holy See Pavilion
  • Belarus Free Theatre
  • South Africa Pavilion
  • Chiesa di Sant'Antonin
  • La Chiesa di San Giovanni Evangelista
  • Giardini
  • Arsenale
  • Pussy Riot
  • Femen
  • Waterlily House, Kew
  • Turner Prize
  • Connaissance des Arts

Locations

  • Venice
  • Italy
  • Austria
  • India
  • Uzbekistan
  • Finland
  • Norway
  • Sweden
  • Syria
  • Japan
  • Denmark
  • Netherlands
  • Estonia
  • Aral Sea
  • Palmyra
  • Icelandic Pavilion
  • Spanish Pavilion
  • Uruguayan Pavilion
  • Holy See Pavilion
  • Giardino Mistico dei Carmelitani Scalzi
  • Santa Maria Ausiliatrice Complex
  • Castello
  • Moroccan Pavilion
  • Arsenale
  • Artiglierie
  • Polish Pavilion
  • Korean Pavilion
  • Kosovo Pavilion
  • Chiesa di Santa Maria del Pianto
  • Swiss Pavilion
  • Giardini
  • Germany
  • Timor-Leste
  • Southeast Asia
  • Slovenia
  • Log pod Mangartom
  • Isonzo Front
  • East Berlin
  • Soviet Germany
  • Deutsche Demokratische Republik
  • Cape Town
  • Berlin
  • Philippines
  • Manila
  • Singapore
  • Karakalpakstan
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • New York
  • United States
  • Hanover
  • Los Angeles
  • Fukushima
  • Giardini della Biennale
  • Palazzo Malipiero
  • Brazil
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Belgium
  • Canada
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • France
  • Ireland
  • Hawaii
  • Thailand
  • Palestine
  • Lebanon
  • Jerusalem
  • Hama
  • Gaza
  • Riyadh
  • Aleppo
  • Beiteddine Palace
  • Scuola Grande di San Marco
  • Church of the Holy Sepulchre
  • Apamea Synagogue
  • Bureij mosaic
  • Grand Mosque of Aleppo
  • Archivio di Stato di Venezia
  • Chiesa di Sant'Antonin
  • San Polo
  • Rome
  • Turin
  • New Delhi
  • Morocco
  • Great Britain
  • Poland
  • London
  • Guinea
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Sierra Leone
  • Somalia
  • Vietnam
  • Nauru

Sources

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