Gayane Umerova Leads Uzbekistan’s Cultural Renaissance at Venice Biennale

At just 40, Gayane Umerova is spearheading a cultural resurgence in Uzbekistan as she prepares for the 61st Venice Biennale in 2026, where she will represent the Uzbekistan Pavilion. She’s overseeing two significant initiatives: 'The Aural Sea,' a national pavilion featuring fresh curatorial voices from the Bukhara Biennial Curatorial School, and 'Instruments of the Mind,' a solo show by artist Vyacheslav Akhunov at Palazzo Franchetti. Since 2021, Umerova has been crucial in highlighting Uzbekistan’s artistic landscape. 'The Aural Sea' addresses the ecological plight of the Aral Sea through narrative, expanding on last pavilion’s themes. Besides this role, she’s also deputy head of the Social Development Department and chairs the ACDF and the National Commission for UNESCO. Raised in Tashkent, she was heavily influenced by her family's artistic background.