The upcoming 61st edition of the Venice Biennale, one of the oldest and most popular art events, will take place from May 9 to November 22, 2026. A preview is scheduled for May 6, 7, and 8. Founded in 1895 and held biannually, the event brings together top artists from around the world at the Venice Arsenal, Giardini, and other venues.
Venice Biennale stays true to Koyo Kouoh’s posthumous vision
The curatorial path of the event was established by Cameroonian curator Koyo Kouoh, who selected the main theme and participants before her unexpected passing in May 2025. Kouoh wanted the biennial to focus on the “slower gear and tune in to the frequencies of the minor keys in a world that’s often lost in the cacophony of chaos“. According to Kouoh’s curatorial text:
“The exhibition’s composition is formed by artistic practices that open portals, that refresh and nourish, that prompt relation and relationship that advance concept and form through networks and schools – understood freely and informally.”
Therefore, In Minor Keys has become the main theme of the upcoming biennale. Born in Cameroon in 1967, Kouoh was working as the Chief Curator and Executive Director of Cape Town’s Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) when she was selected as the Venice Biennale’s main curator. Before that, she served as artistic director of RAW Material Company in Senegal, where she curated exhibitions for documenta 12 (2007) and documenta 13 (2012). Throughout her life, she lived and worked alternately in Cape Town, South Africa, Dakar, Senegal, and Basel, Switzerland.
National pavilions present artists
As the upcoming biennale slowly takes its shape, the first national pavilions have already announced the selected artists. Right after the 60th Venice Biennale ended in 2024, Ireland announced Isabel Nolan as their next representative. Nolan employs a variety of media, spanning from photography to installation, to explore topics of history, cosmology, love, and mythology. Georgina Jackson, director of The Douglas Hyde Gallery of Contemporary Art at Trinity College, will serve as the curator of the pavilion.
Estonia has announced Merike Estna as the representative. Based between Tallinn and Mexico City, Estna is a formalist painter known for incorporating craft in her work. Tehran-born artist Abbas Akhavan will represent Canada with a body of work that investigates society and geopolitics through the lens of architecture. Kathleen Reinhardt, curator of the German Pavilion, selected artists Henrike Naumann and Sung Tieu for the show.
Venice Biennale 2026
The Biennale in Venice has a long history dating back over 130 years. Over time, the event has established itself as the biggest, most popular, and impactful art exhibition, hosting thousands of artists and millions of visitors, turning the entire city into a gallery. Tickets for the upcoming edition are on sale starting January 12 and can be purchased through the official website.
The details of the upcoming edition, including the graphic identity, exhibition design, and the complete list of invited artists and participating countries, will be announced on February 25, 2026.
Header: Gaggiandre, Photo by Andrea Avezzu – Courtesy of La Biennale di Venezia
