As the 61st edition of the Venice Biennale prepares to open this May in Venice, Arab nations are stepping confidently onto one of the most influential stages in the global art world. More than a prestigious exhibition, the Biennale is a platform where countries define their cultural narratives, artists reshape international discourse, and contemporary art becomes a mirror of political and social realities.
This year, the Arab presence signals not only participation, but assertion — a declaration that the region’s artistic voices are central to conversations about memory, heritage, resilience and identity.
United Arab Emirates: Curating a Generational Dialogue
The National Pavilion UAE has appointed Bana Kattan as curator for 2026. Currently associate head of exhibitions at the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Project, Kattan represents a new generation of cultural leaders who have witnessed the rapid evolution of the UAE’s art scene from emerging landscape to global hub.
While the exhibiting artist has yet to be announced, the curatorial direction promises a thoughtful engagement with the UAE’s complex artistic histories — bridging local narratives with international conversations.
Lebanon: Nabil Nahas and the Language of Texture
Lebanon returns with acclaimed artist Nabil Nahas, presenting Don’t Get Me Wrong, an immersive installation composed of monumental acrylic-on-canvas panels.
Curated by Nada Ghandour, the pavilion explores Nahas’s signature visual language — richly textured surfaces inspired by botanical and marine forms, often echoing the cedar tree as a symbol of endurance. In a time marked by instability, Lebanon’s pavilion becomes a poetic assertion of continuity and creative defiance.
Morocco: Weaving Memory and Material
Morocco has selected Amina Agueznay with her project Asetta, curated by Meriem Berrada.
Agueznay’s work integrates weaving, metal and craft traditions, foregrounding questions of labour, collective memory and ancestral knowledge. Her pavilion situates traditional techniques within contemporary discourse, positioning craft not as nostalgia but as living, evolving resistance.
Syria: Reclaiming Palmyra Through Art
Syria’s participation carries profound emotional weight. Artist Sara Shamma presents The Tower Tomb of Palmyra, curated by Yuko Hasegawa.
Inspired by the ancient funerary towers of Palmyra, many of which were destroyed during war, the immersive installation combines painting, architecture, sound and scent. Shamma’s project moves beyond mourning — it transforms cultural loss into a meditation on resilience, remembrance and reconstruction.
Saudi Arabia: Geometry as Cultural Memory
Saudi Arabia has chosen Dana Awartani to represent the Kingdom. Known for her engagement with geometry, sacred architecture and endangered craft practices, Awartani’s work reactivates historical forms within contemporary frameworks.
Her pavilion is expected to explore material heritage not as static history, but as a living language capable of shaping future identities.
A Region Speaking in Its Own Voice
While the Biennale takes place in Europe, the narratives emerging from these Arab pavilions are deeply rooted in the Middle East and North Africa. Together, they reveal recurring themes: memory, displacement, craft revival, political transformation and the reclamation of cultural agency.
As additional announcements from Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan are anticipated, one thing is clear: the 2026 edition will not merely include Arab perspectives — it will be shaped by them.
At the Venice Biennale this year, the Arab world does not stand at the margins. It stands at the centre of the global conversation.
