All-female jury announced for 61st Venice Biennale
The 61st Venice Biennale, opening May 9, 2026, has revealed an all-female international jury of five contemporary art figures. The jury, chaired by Solange Oliveira Farkas (founder of Associação Cultural Videobrasil and former director of Museu de Arte Moderna da Bahia), includes Zoe Butt (Australian curator based in Thailand, founder of in-tangible institute), Elvira Dyangani Ose (Spanish curator of Equatoguinean origin, former MACBA director, now artistic director of Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial 2026-2027), Marta Kuzma (professor at Yale School of Art, former dean and first woman to lead the 150-year-old institution), and Giovanna Zapperi (professor of contemporary art history at University of Geneva, author of feminist art studies). The jury will award the Golden Lions and other prizes, continuing the Biennale's tradition of recognizing international artists.
Key facts
- 61st Venice Biennale opens May 9, 2026
- Jury is exclusively female, unlike mixed juries in 2024 and 2022
- Five members from Brazil, Thailand, Spain, USA, and Switzerland
- Solange Oliveira Farkas chairs the jury
- Zoe Butt founded in-tangible institute and deCentral
- Elvira Dyangani Ose was MACBA director until 2026
- Marta Kuzma was first female dean of Yale School of Art
- Giovanna Zapperi researches feminist epistemologies in visual arts
Entities
Artists
- Solange Oliveira Farkas
- Zoe Butt
- Elvira Dyangani Ose
- Marta Kuzma
- Giovanna Zapperi
- Archie Moore
- Mataaho Collective
- Karimah Ashadu
- Anna Maria Maiolino
- Nil Yalter
- Samia Halaby
- La Chola Poblete
- Koyo Kouoh
Institutions
- Associação Cultural Videobrasil
- Museu de Arte Moderna da Bahia
- in-tangible institute
- deCentral
- The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre
- Sàn Art
- Long March Project
- MACBA
- Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial
- Tate Modern
- Showroom London
- Creative Time
- Yale School of Art
- Royal Institute of Art Stockholm
- Office for Contemporary Art Norway
- Soros Center for Contemporary Art Kyiv
- University of Geneva
- Biennale di Venezia
- Biennale de Sharjah
- Dak'Art
- Jakarta International Video Festival
- FUSO
- Biennale internationale d'art contemporain de Göteborg
- Documenta 13
- Manifesta 5
- Pavillon nordique
- La Biennale di Venezia
- Videobrasil
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Brazil
- Thailand
- Spain
- United States
- Switzerland
- Bahia
- Hô Chi Minh-Ville
- Vietnam
- Beijing
- China
- Barcelona
- Abu Dhabi
- United Arab Emirates
- London
- United Kingdom
- New York
- USA
- Stockholm
- Sweden
- Norway
- Kyiv
- Ukraine
- Geneva
- Sharjah
- Dakar
- Senegal
- Jakarta
- Indonesia
- Göteborg
- Kassel
- Germany
- Aotearoa
- New Zealand
- Hamburg
- Lagos
- Nigeria
- Paris
- France
- Kosovo
- Ginevra