15 Must-See Shows During the 2026 Venice Biennale
CULTURED magazine has assembled a guide featuring 15 exhibitions set to take place in Venice during the 2026 Biennale. A standout event is Marina Abramović's groundbreaking solo exhibition at Gallerie dell'Accademia, marking the first solo show for a living female artist. This display includes her 'transitory objects' and pairs her 1983 Pietà with Titian's 1576 Pietà. Additional noteworthy exhibitions encompass 'Helter Skelter' at Fondazione Prada, showcasing Arthur Jafa and Richard Prince, Michael Armitage's 'The Promise of Change' at Palazzo Grassi, and Amoako Boafo's inaugural Italian solo exhibition at Palazzo Grimani. Artists like Jenny Saville, David Salle, and Matthew Wong will also present their works, addressing themes of culture, war, and identity across various locations.
Key facts
- Marina Abramović is the first living female artist to receive a major show at Gallerie dell’Accademia.
- Abramović's 1983 Pietà with Ulay will be contrasted against Titian's 1576 Pietà.
- Arthur Jafa and Richard Prince are paired in 'Helter Skelter' at Fondazione Prada.
- Michael Armitage's exhibition at Palazzo Grassi includes over 45 paintings and more than 100 studies.
- Amoako Boafo's first solo show in Italy is at Palazzo Grimani.
- David Salle's AI-driven paintings at Palazzo Cini have been controversial; a painting was removed from a previous show after Kelly Reemsten flagged similarities.
- Matthew Wong's 'Interiors' at Palazzo Tiepolo Passi features 35 paintings from 2015 to 2019.
- Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo opens a third location on an abandoned island in the North Venice lagoon.
Entities
Artists
- Marina Abramović
- Ulay
- Arthur Jafa
- Richard Prince
- Michael Armitage
- Amoako Boafo
- Jenny Saville
- David Salle
- Matthew Wong
- Tai Shani
- Meriem Bennani
- Orian Barki
- Kandis Williams
- Alighiero Boetti
- Sanya Kantarovsky
- Erwin Wurm
- Lydia Ourahmane
- Matt Copson
- Hans Ulrich Obrist
- Giovanna Silva
- Antonio Fortugno
- Goshka Macuga
- Pamela Rosenkranz
- Claire Fontaine
- Thomas Schütte
- Hugh Hayden
- Mario García Torres
- Nancy Spector
- Geert Bruloot
- Jamieson Webster
- Mat Dryhurst
- Holly Herndon
- Lynn Hershman Leeson
- Joshua Citarella
- Philippe Parreno
- Ayoung Kim
- Kelly Reemsten
- Lucien Freud
- Vincent van Gogh
- Georges Seurat
- Pier Luigi Nervi
- Dries Van Noten
Institutions
- Gallerie dell’Accademia
- Fondazione Prada
- Palazzo Grassi
- Palazzo Grimani
- Ca' Pesaro
- Palazzo Cini
- Palazzo Tiepolo Passi
- Palazzo Nervi-Scattolin
- SMAC Venice
- Fondazione Dries Van Noten
- L’Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti
- Palazzo Loredan
- Palazzo Diedo
- Berggruen Arts & Culture
- Museo Fortuny
- Nicoletta Fiorucci Foundation
- Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo
- Gagosian
- Bottega Veneta
- MoMu
- Sprüth Magers
- Matthew Wong Foundation
- CULTURED
- SUB
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Gallerie dell’Accademia
- Fondazione Prada
- Palazzo Grassi
- Palazzo Grimani
- Ca' Pesaro
- Palazzo Cini
- Palazzo Tiepolo Passi
- Palazzo Nervi-Scattolin
- SMAC Venice
- Fondazione Dries Van Noten
- Palazzo Loredan
- Palazzo Diedo
- Museo Fortuny
- Nicoletta Fiorucci Foundation
- Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo
- North Venice lagoon
- Poveglia
- Accra
- Ghana
- Vienna
- Austria
- Algiers
- Algeria
- Barcelona
- Spain
- Moscow
- Russia
- Upstate New York
- United States
- South Korea
- Kenya