ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Ilya and Emilia Kabakov's Venetian Diary at 61st Venice Biennale

exhibition · 2026-04-28

Three years after Ilya Kabakov's death, Venice honors the artist duo with Venetian Diary, a participatory project featuring stories, memories, and objects from Venetians. Curated by Cesare Biasini Selvaggi and Giulia Abate, it is presented during the 61st Venice Biennale across two venues: Ca' Tron, a 16th-century palazzo on the Grand Canal, and the Venetian Pavilion at the Giardini. The work creates a collective self-portrait of the city, reaffirming the duo's poetic and conceptual significance.

Key facts

  • Ilya Kabakov died three years ago.
  • Venetian Diary is a monumental and participatory project.
  • The project centers on stories, memories, and objects of Venetians.
  • It is presented in conjunction with the 61st Venice Biennale.
  • Curators are Cesare Biasini Selvaggi and Giulia Abate.
  • Exhibition sites: Ca' Tron (16th-century palazzo) and Venetian Pavilion at the Giardini.
  • The work offers a collective self-portrait of Venice.
  • The duo is considered seminal in contemporary art.

Entities

Artists

  • Ilya Kabakov
  • Emilia Kabakov

Institutions

  • Venice Biennale
  • Ca' Tron
  • Venetian Pavilion
  • Giardini

Locations

  • Venice
  • Italy
  • Grand Canal
  • Giardini

Sources