Venice Biennale Opens 61st Art Exhibition With 100 National Participations
Updated
Updated · ArchDaily · May 13
Venice Biennale Opens 61st Art Exhibition With 100 National Participations
4 articles · Updated · ArchDaily · May 13
La Biennale di Venezia has inaugurated its 61st International Art Exhibition, which runs through Nov. 22, 2026 across the Giardini, the Arsenale and other Venice venues.
100 national participations and 31 collateral events anchor the edition, with pavilions spread across 29 Giardini sites, 25 Arsenale spaces and 46 locations in Venice’s historic center.
The show continues Koyo Kouoh’s project, In Minor Keys, after the curator’s death in May 2025; her themes of grief, memory, spirituality and global exhaustion shape the exhibition design.
El Salvador is appearing with its own pavilion for the first time, while Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Nauru, Qatar, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Vietnam are among participating countries.
The opening also revives controversy over the inclusion of Russia and Israel, even as several highlighted pavilions examine authoritarianism, destruction of heritage and the pressures of contemporary urban life.
As protests force unprecedented changes, will the national pavilion model be the next casualty?
Can an art show themed on quiet contemplation survive its own political firestorm?
A posthumous vision and a popular vote for its top prize: is this a crisis or reinvention for the Biennale?
61st Venice Biennale 2026: Geopolitical Controversy, Protests, and the Impact of Koyo Kouoh’s Final Exhibition
Overview
The 61st Venice Biennale, which opened on May 9th, 2026, is marked by intense political crises that have overshadowed its usual celebration of international art. This year, the event became a center of geopolitical and internal disputes, with Russia and Israel at the heart of the controversy. The absence of Italy’s Culture Minister’s traditional blessing highlighted the deep divisions surrounding the Biennale. As political tensions rose, the Biennale’s traditional role as a launchpad for artists and a major attraction for visitors was challenged, making this edition one of the most contentious in its history.