Hyperallergic Critics Pick Favorite National Pavilions at 2026 Venice Biennale
In a discussion featured in Hyperallergic, Editor-at-Large Hrag Vartanian and critic Aruna D'Souza share their top picks for the national pavilions at the Venice Biennale 2026, which will be open until November 22. They argue that the pavilion structure is crucial for highlighting smaller nations, warning that eliminating them would disadvantage countries such as Timor-Leste, Cape Verde, and Nauru. D'Souza points out the presence of thirteen African pavilions and Panama's involvement despite US pressures. The conversation covers pavilions from Ecuador, Democratic Republic of Congo, Taiwan, Bahamas, Canada, Serbia, Spain, Timor-Leste, Czech and Slovak Republics, Ukraine, Australia, Montenegro, Egypt, Nordic countries, and Chile. Noteworthy mentions include Gabrielle Goliath's Elegy (South Africa) and exhibits from Zimbabwe and Ethiopia, along with discussions on the Australian pavilion and Goliath's cancellation.
Key facts
- The 2026 Venice Biennale runs through November 22.
- Koyo Kouoh curated the main exhibition 'In Minor Keys'.
- Gabrielle Goliath's 'Elegy' was displayed at a church after being cancelled by the South African pavilion.
- Khaled Sabsabi's Australian pavilion was censored under pressure from pro-Israel groups and later reinstated.
- Thirteen African countries had pavilions this year.
- Panama had a pavilion despite US threats to its sovereignty.
- The Democratic Republic of Congo participated for the first time.
- Verónica Pereira Maia's 'Tais Don' (1994–99) was exhibited in Europe for the first time.
- Ukraine's official pavilion featured Zhanna Kadyrova's 'Security Guarantees' sculpture, which traveled 3,000 kilometers from Pokrovsk.
- The Czech and Slovak Republics continue to share a pavilion despite their 1992 split.
Entities
Artists
- Hrag Vartanian
- Aruna D'Souza
- Hakim Bishara
- Koyo Kouoh
- Alma Allen
- Gabrielle Goliath
- Dayanita Singh
- Arthur Jafa
- Richard Prince
- Khaled Sabsabi
- Óscar Santillán
- Aimé Mpané
- Arlette Bashizi
- Patrick Bongo
- Sammy Baloji
- Li Yi-Fan
- John Beadle
- Lavar Monroe
- Abbas Akhavan
- Predrag Djaković
- Oriol Vilanova
- Verónica Pereira Maia
- Etson Caminha
- Juventino Madeira
- Jakub Jansa
- Zhanna Kadyrova
- Leonid Marushchak
- Siniša Radulović
- Armen Agop
- Klara Kristalova
- Tori Wrånes
- Benjamin Orlow
- Norton Maza
- Bogna Burska
- Daniel Kotowski
- Eva Raath
- Felix Shumba
- Franklin Dzingal
- Gideon Gomo
- Pardon Mapondera
- Tengene Kunbi
- Niall Ferguson
- Björn Geldhof
- Oleksandra Pogrebnyak
- Roman Khimei
- Yarema Malashchuk
- Tacita Dean
- Avedis Hadjian
Institutions
- Hyperallergic
- Venice Biennale
- São Paulo Biennial
- South African pavilion
- Australian pavilion
- United States pavilion
- State Archives of Venice
- Tawna Collective
- Traumnovelle
- Pinchuk Art Center
- Museum Open for Renovations
- Kew Gardens
- Arte Moris Free Art School
- Chiesa di Sant'Antonin
- Polish pavilion
- Zimbabwe pavilion
- Ethiopia pavilion
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Ecuador
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Taiwan
- Bahamas
- Canada
- Serbia
- Spain
- Timor-Leste
- Czech Republic
- Slovak Republic
- Ukraine
- Australia
- Montenegro
- Egypt
- Finland
- Norway
- Sweden
- Chile
- South Africa
- Poland
- Zimbabwe
- Ethiopia
- Dorsoduro
- Giardini
- Arsenale
- Castello
- London
- United Kingdom
- Pokrovsk
- Dili
- Santa Cruz
- Kew Gardens
- Cape Verde
- Nauru
- Turkey
- Gaza
- Panama
- United States