Venice Biennale 2026: National Pavilions Preview
The 61st Venice Biennale, scheduled from May 9 to November 22, 2026, will feature national pavilions located at Giardini, Arsenale, and various other sites. Armenia will present Zadik Zadikian's 'The Studio' along with an outdoor sculpture, curated by Tony Shafrazi and Tina Chakarian. Australia will showcase Khaled Sabsabi's 'conference of one’s self,' under the curation of Michael Dagostino. Azerbaijan's contribution, 'The Attention,' will be curated by Gwendolyn Collaço, while Canada will display Abbas Akhavan's 'Entre chien et loup,' organized by Kim Nguyen. Egypt's Armen Agop will curate 'Silence Pavilion,' and France's Yto Barrada will reveal 'Comme Saturne.' India's 'Geographies of Distance' will include five artists. Additional participants are Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Türkiye, UAE, and Uzbekistan.
Key facts
- 61st Venice Biennale runs from 9 May to 22 November 2026.
- Armenia: Zadik Zadikian presents 'The Studio' and an outdoor sculpture at Case Nuove 2738/C, Castello.
- Australia: Khaled Sabsabi reinstated, presents 'conference of one’s self' at Giardini.
- Canada: Abbas Akhavan shows 'Entre chien et loup' at Giardini.
- France: Yto Barrada unveils 'Comme Saturne' at Giardini.
- India: Group exhibition 'Geographies of Distance: remembering home' at Arsenale.
- Qatar: Pavilion features Sofia Al-Maria, Tarek Atoui, Alia Farid, Fadi Kattan, Rirkrit Tiravanija.
- UAE: Group show 'Washwasha' with six artists at Arsenale.
Entities
Artists
- Zadik Zadikian
- Khaled Sabsabi
- Faig Ahmed
- Abbas Akhavan
- Armen Agop
- Yto Barrada
- Alwar Balasubramaniam (Bala)
- Sumakshi Singh
- Ranjani Shettar
- Asim Waqif
- Skarma Sonam Tashi
- Ardak Mukanova
- Gulmaral Tattibayeva
- Natalya Ligay (ADYR‑ASPAN)
- Anar Aubakir
- Asel Kadyrkhanova
- Smail Bayaliyev
- Nurbol Nurakhmet
- Mansur Smagambetov
- Oralbek Kaboke
- Alexey Morosov
- Nabil Nahas
- Amina Agueznay
- Haitham Al Busafi
- Faiza Butt
- Sofia Al-Maria
- Tarek Atoui
- Alia Farid
- Fadi Kattan
- Rirkrit Tiravanija
- Dana Awartani
- Sara Shamma
- Nilbar Güreş
- Mays Albaik
- Jawad Al Malhi
- Farah Al Qasimi
- Alaa Edris
- Lamya Gargash
- Taus Makhacheva
- Jahongir Bobokulov
- Zi Kakhramonova
- Aygul Sarsen
- Zulfiya Spowart
- Xin Liu
- A A Murakami
- Nguyen Phuong Linh
Institutions
- National Gallery of Canada
- Ministry of Culture (Egypt)
- Accademia d’Egitto a Roma
- Institut Français
- French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs
- French Ministry of Culture
- National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA)
- Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC)
- Serendipity Arts Foundation
- Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan
- Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic
- Lebanese Visual Art Association
- Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication
- Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, Sultanate of Oman
- Ministry of National Heritage and Culture (Pakistan)
- Visual Arts Commission (Saudi Arabia)
- Ministry of Culture (Saudi Arabia)
- Syrian Ministry of Culture
- Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts
- Ministry of Culture and Tourism (Türkiye)
- Salama bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation
- UAE Minister of Culture
- Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF)
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Giardini della Biennale
- Arsenale
- Case Nuove 2738/C, Castello
- Campo della Tana, Castello
- Museo Storico Navale, Castello
- Ex Chiesa di Santa Caterina, Cannaregio
- Ex Farmacia Solveni, Dorsoduro
- Università Iuav di Venezia, Cotonificio campus
- Armenia
- Australia
- Azerbaijan
- Canada
- Egypt
- France
- India
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyz Republic
- Lebanon
- Morocco
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- Syria
- Türkiye
- UAE
- Uzbekistan