Biennale Arte 2026: Nine Must-See National Pavilions at the Arsenale
The upcoming 2026 Venice Biennale, themed 'In Minor Keys' and curated by Koyo Kouoh, will feature national pavilions at the Arsenale that highlight interconnected ecosystems. Italy’s pavilion, 'Con te con tutto' by Chiara Camoni, delves into minor arts through clay and Etruscan influences. India's exhibit, 'Geographies of Distance: Remembering Home,' includes five artists, with Sumakshi Singh presenting 'Permanent Address,' which reconstructs her destroyed residence. Oman's pavilion, curated by Haitham Al Busafi, immerses attendees in al-zaanah traditions. Other highlights include Mexico's contemplative 'Actos invisibles para sostener el universo' by RojoNegro, Turkey's 'A Kiss on the Eyes' by Nilbar Güreş addressing gender and migration, and Lebanon's 45-meter frieze by Nabil Nahas. Morocco introduces Amina Agueznay's 'Asǝṭṭa,' while Dana Awartani's installation represents Saudi Arabia. Luxembourg critiques societal control with 'La Merde,' and Singapore's Amanda Heng Liang Ngim presents 'A Pause,' emphasizing resistance in daily actions.
Key facts
- Biennale Arte 2026 is curated by Koyo Kouoh under the title 'In Minor Keys'.
- The Italian Pavilion features Chiara Camoni's 'Con te con tutto'.
- India's pavilion includes works by Alwar Balasubramaniam (Bala), Ranjani Shettar, Sumakshi Singh, Skarma Sonam Tashi, and Asim Waqif.
- Sumakshi Singh's 'Permanent Address' reconstructs her demolished family home in New Delhi using thread.
- Oman's pavilion by Haitham Al Busafi is inspired by the al-zaanah tradition of adorning horses with silver.
- Mexico's pavilion is by collective RojoNegro (María Sosa and Noé Martínez), curated by Jessica Berlanga.
- Turkey's pavilion features Nilbar Güreş's 'A Kiss on the Eyes'.
- Lebanon's pavilion presents Nabil Nahas's 45-meter frieze 'Don't Get Me Wrong'.
- Morocco participates in the Biennale for the first time with Amina Agueznay's 'Asǝṭṭa'.
- Saudi Arabia's pavilion, curated by Antonia Carver, features Dana Awartani's installation with over 29,000 clay bricks.
- Luxembourg's pavilion presents Aline Bouvy's 'La Merde'.
- Singapore's pavilion features Amanda Heng Liang Ngim's 'A Pause', curated by Selene Yap.
Entities
Artists
- Koyo Kouoh
- Chiara Camoni
- Alwar Balasubramaniam (Bala)
- Ranjani Shettar
- Sumakshi Singh
- Skarma Sonam Tashi
- Asim Waqif
- Haitham Al Busafi
- María Sosa
- Noé Martínez
- Nilbar Güreş
- Nabil Nahas
- Amina Agueznay
- Dana Awartani
- Aline Bouvy
- Amanda Heng Liang Ngim
- Toni Morrison
- Gabriel García Márquez
- Jessica Berlanga
- Nada Ghandour
- Antonia Carver
- Hafsa Alkhudairi
- Selene Yap
- Gianmaria Andreetta
- Luca Beeler
- Nina Wakeford
- Miriam Laura Leonardi
- Yul Tomatala
- Bogna Burska
- Daniel Kotowski
- Dries Verhoeven
- Rieke Vos
- Gerrit Rietveld
- Anca Benera
- Arnold Estefán
- Kauw Tsitsi
- Khaled Ramadan
- Alfredo Cramerotti
- Patricia Jacomella Bonola
- Tedo Rekhviashvili
- Sylvia Grace Borda
- Ron Laboray
- Dorian Batycka
- Khaled Hafez
- Iv Toshain
- Stefano Cagol
- Khaled Sabsabi
- Farid al-Din Attar
- Eglė Budvytytė
- Marija Gimbutas
- MAREUNROL
- Vivienne Westwood
- Viktor & Rolf
- Lubaina Himid
- Magda Stawarska
- Eleanor Sutherland
- Alwar Balasubramaniam
- Zhanna Kadyrova
- Ásta Fanney Sigurðardóttir
- Björk
- Asmaa Jama
- Warsan Shire
- Ayan Farah
- Oriol Vilanova
- Abbas Akhavan
- Merike Estna
- Lilli Jahilo
- Giuseppe Cherubini
Institutions
- Biennale di Venezia
- La Biennale di Venezia
- exibart.com
- Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, Sultanate of Oman
- Coordinación Nacional de Artes Visuales, INBAL
- Singapore Art Museum
- LVAA
- Arsenale
- Venice Biennale
- Aesthetica Magazine
- Swiss Pavilion
- Polish Pavilion
- Netherlands Pavilion
- Romanian Pavilion
- Oman Pavilion
- Nauru Pavilion
- Australia Pavilion
- Lithuania Pavilion
- Latvian Pavilion
- British Pavilion
- Milani Gallery
- Zachęta Archive
- British Council
- Choir in Motion (Chór w Ruchu)
- Lithic Alliance
- Untamed Fashion Assemblies (UFA)
- Hangar Bicocca
- Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre
- Serendipity Arts
- Chamber of Public Secrets
- Creative Australia
- India’s Ministry of Culture
- Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC)
- Acción Cultural Española (AC/E)
- Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID)
- National Gallery of Canada
- Canada Council for the Arts
- Kew Gardens
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Arsenale
- India
- New Delhi
- Oman
- Mexico
- Turkey
- Lebanon
- Beirut
- United States
- Morocco
- Saudi Arabia
- Luxembourg
- Singapore
- Arab world
- Giardini
- Switzerland
- Poland
- Netherlands
- Romania
- Black Sea
- Nauru
- South Pacific Ocean
- Australia
- Lithuania
- Grotta Scaloria
- Apulia
- Latvia
- United Kingdom
- Ukraine
- Republic of Nauru
- Tese delle Vergini
- Isolotto
- Sale d'Armi
- Pokrovsk
- Donbas
- Rome
- Mumbai
- Tamil Nadu
- Syria
- Palestine
- Raid
- Republic of Guinea
- Republic of Equatorial Guinea
- Qatar
- Republic of Sierra Leone
- Federal Republic of Somalia
- Socialist Republic of Vietnam
- Giardini della Biennale
- Arsenale di Venezia
- Docks Cantieri Cucchini
- Isolotto warehouse
- Palazzo Caboto
- Spain Pavilion
- Canada Pavilion
- former Church of Santa Maria Assunta