The 61st Venice Biennale is due to open in April 2026. It was set to be curated by Koyo Kouoh, who died on 10 May 2025. As nations continue to announce which artists will represent their national pavilions, ArtReview is keeping a running tally:
The veteran artist has been chosen to draw on her decades鈥憀ong interdisciplinary practice which explores bodies as sites of memory, care, and encounter through performance and installation.
On Tuesday, the Venice Biennale announced that next year鈥檚 edition will follow the vision of its curator, Koyo Kouoh, who died of cancer last month, just days before she was set to share its theme.
Despite the curator鈥檚 sudden passing, next year's Biennale will realize Kouoh鈥檚 curatorial concept "as she designed it, as she imagined it," said Pietrangelo Buttafuoco.
Koyo Kouoh had spent nearly seven months preparing the art event鈥檚 main exhibition before she died this month. Her team will complete the work and open the show in May 2026.
The organizers of the Venice Biennale today announced that the sixty-first edition of the event will go ahead in accordance with the plan laid out by its curator, Koyo Kouoh, before her death from cancer on May 10.
Ben Brown Fine Arts announced that Nabil Nahas has been selected to represent Lebanon at the 61st edition of La Biennale di Venezia, running from 9 May to 22 November 2026.
Iceland Design and Architecture opened Lavaforming, Iceland鈥檚 presentation in its national pavilion at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition 鈥 La Biennale di Venezia.
The Sultanate of Oman marks its debut at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia with Traces, curated by Omani architect Majeda Alhinai.