Venice Biennale 2026: Artists, Pavilions, and Legacies

The 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, scheduled to run from May 9 to November 22, 2026, will be defined by the posthumous curatorial vision of Koyo Kouoh. The exhibition, titled In Minor Keys, will feature 110 invited participants across the Giardini, Arsenale, and various other venues throughout Venice.

The curatorial framework for the event was established by Kouoh, who died on May 10, 2025. According to reporting from the Financial Times and ELLE, the artists and organizers involved in the 2026 edition are working to realize Kouoh’s original vision, with several participants expressing a desire to honor her legacy through their contributions.

National Pavilion Highlights

Countries have begun announcing the representatives for their national pavilions, with several high-profile appointments confirmed. For Australia, artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino have been recommissioned by Creative Australia. Sabsabi, a Lebanese-Australian artist, utilizes various mediums to investigate identity politics and human collectiveness.

Albania will be represented by Genti Korini, with curation by Polish critic and curator Małgorzata Ludwisiak. Korini will present a three-channel video installation titled A Place in the Sun. The work incorporates puppetry, live acting, and animation, accompanied by a sonic score in Zaum, an experimental language created by Russian Futurist poets in the early twentieth century to challenge social hierarchies.

Other confirmed national representatives include:

• Austria: Artist Florentina Holzinger, organized by Nora-Swantje Almes and the Austrian Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport.
• Argentina: Artist Matías Duville, organized by Josefina Barcia and the Directorate for Cultural Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship.
• Armenia: Artist Zadik Zadikian, organized by Tony Shafrazi, Tina Chakarian, and Svetlana Sahakyan.
• Oman: Artist Haitham Al Busafi.

Major Exhibitions and Installations

Beyond the national pavilions, the 2026 Biennale will host several significant solo exhibitions. Marina Abramović is scheduled to present a historic exhibition at the dell’Accademia, as reported by Artlyst.

Ilya and Emilia Kabakov will present a project titled Venetian Diary, according to e-flux.com.

Event Logistics

The Biennale will be spread across multiple key locations in Venice, including the Giardini and the Arsenale. The exhibition opens to the public on May 9, 2026, and will conclude on November 22, 2026.

The 61st edition continues the tradition of the Venice Biennale as one of the oldest and most prestigious art biennials in the world, focusing this year on the intersection of history, ideology, and the personal legacies of its curators and participants.