VCUarts Qatar's 'Aghrab Idrāk' Debuts at Venice Biennale 2026
The Venice Biennale 2026 will showcase 'أغرب إدراك | Aghrab Idrāk: Thresholds of Perception,' an Official Collateral Event hosted by Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar). This exhibition is scheduled to take place from June 1 to November 22, 2026, at Palazzo Cavanis in Venice. Co-curated by Dr. Hesperia Iliadou and Chase Westfall, it will highlight ten interdisciplinary labs from the Institute for Creative Research (ICR). Featured projects encompass Mapping Migration Memories, Oceans & Lands, Bandhani Arabi, Sonic Fields, Chrysalis, The Gulf Between Us, Whispers from United Geekdom, Preceding Emptiness, A Monocular Monologue, and a documentary focused on textile repair. The event is backed by Qatar Foundation, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Qatar Museums, with 'aghrab idrāk' translating to 'strange knowledge.'
Key facts
- Exhibition: 'أغرب إدراك | Aghrab Idrāk: Thresholds of Perception'
- Venue: Palazzo Cavanis at the Zattere, Venice, Italy
- Dates: June 1 – November 22, 2026
- Co-curators: Dr. Hesperia Iliadou and Chase Westfall
- Organized by VCUarts Qatar's Institute for Creative Research (ICR)
- Features 10 interdisciplinary research labs
- Official Collateral Event of the Venice Biennale 2026
- Supported by Qatar Foundation, Virginia Commonwealth University, Qatar Museums
Entities
Artists
- Amir Berbić
- Michael Rao
- Dr. Hesperia Iliadou
- Chase Westfall
- Dr. Higginbotham
Institutions
- VCUarts Qatar
- Institute for Creative Research (ICR)
- Venice Biennale
- Qatar Foundation
- Virginia Commonwealth University
- Qatar Museums
- designboom
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Qatar
- Doha
- Richmond
- Virginia
- Bhuj
- India