Venice Biennale 2026, here are the invited artists: no Italians on the list

The 61st International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, titled In Minor Keys, which will open to the public on Saturday, May 9, and remain open to the public until Sunday, Nov. 22, 2026, was presented this morning, spreading across the Giardini, the Arsenale and other selected venues in Venice. The pre-opening will be reserved for May 6, 7 and 8, while the opening ceremony and awards ceremony will take place on May 9. The curatorial project takes shape from the ideas of Koyo Kouoh, who was appointed Artistic Director of the Visual Arts Sector in November 2024 and passed away prematurely in May 2025. The Biennale decided to implement the exhibition along the path already outlined by Kouoh, with the full support of her family, to preserve and disseminate her vision. The Curator had defined theoretical text, graphic identity, space architecture, catalog and artist selection, constantly dialoguing with invited participants.

The title In Minor Keys, indicated in the curatorial text delivered on April 8, 2025, reflects the poetic conception of the exhibition. To support the implementation, the team selected by Koyo includes Gabe Beckhurst Feijoo, Marie Hélène Pereira and Rasha Salti as advisors, Siddhartha Mitter as editor-in-chief and Rory Tsapayi as research assistant. These members publicly outlined during the presentation at Ca’ Giustinian in Venice the guidelines of the work accomplished with Kouoh, recalling in particular the symbolic meeting held in Dakar in April 2025 at the RAW Material Company cultural center, founded by the Curator herself, an emblematic place for her curatorial practice based on relationships and openness to the unexpected.

There are 111 invited artists, duos, collectives and organizations ( no Italians among them), selected by Kouoh by privileging affinities, resonances and possible convergences between artistic practices from distant contexts. Among the cities represented are Salvador, Dakar, San Juan, Beirut, Paris and Nashville. The curatorial intent is to restore a relational geography of art, grounded in the encounter and interweaving of experimental practices even in the absence of direct relationships between participants.

The conceptual core of the exhibition, which will live on in the installations of Cape Town-based Wolff Architects (South Africa), invited to work on the transformative potential of the threshold as an opening to alternative forms of knowledge and experience, is articulated around motifs chosen from works capable of engaging soul and intellect. Prominent among the threads are the “Altars,” which pay homage to Issa Samb (1945-2017) and Beverly Buchanan (1940-2015); the “Processions” section, with processions inspired by carnival choreography and Afro-Atlantic gatherings; the “Schools,” transnational ecosystems of learning and regeneration; and finally “Spaces at Rest,” or spaces dedicated to spiritual and physical rest, metaphorically represented by the oases within the individual creative universes.

The Altars, housed in the Chini Room of the Central Pavilion, celebrate two figures who have profoundly influenced Kouoh’s curatorial vision. Issa Samb, an artist, poet and playwright who co-founded the revolutionary Laboratoire Agit’Art collective in Dakar, embodied a mentoring presence in Kouoh’s life, while Beverly Buchanan developed anti-monumental practices in Land Art and public art, exploring unresolved communities and historical memories. Both privilege the generative power of art over mere objecthood and the conventional canon of preservation.

The procession motif invites the audience to participate rather than observe, transforming the exhibition space into a dynamic field. The works involved rework established symbols and disturb dominant archives and narratives, establishing a transhistorical and speculative dialogue that challenges traditional hierarchies.

The Schools present themselves as learning spaces rooted in territories yet transnational, oriented toward sharing, autonomy and social engagement. They reflect Kouoh’s curatorial ethos and his interest in collaborative and regenerative practices.

Resting spaces, evoking Creole gardens and self-sufficient courtyards, offer moments of contemplation and reconnection with nonhuman forms of life. Multisensory installations encourage reverie and enchantment, stimulating slow pacing and deep listening, in keeping with Kouoh’s poetics that value trust, collaboration, and attention to the multiple declinations of humanity.

The performance program focuses on the body as a vehicle for knowledge, memory and collective resistance. A procession of poets inspired by Poetry Caravan, a journey Kouoh made with nine African poets from Dakar to Timbuktu in 1999, will be held in the Biennale Gardens. The performance celebrates the memory of the Curator and the griots, custodians of history and bearers of knowledge and power, transforming speech into a spiritual and collective healing experience.

All invited artists

1. Pio Abad (Manila, Philippines, 1983; lives in London, UK);
2. Philip Aguirre y Otegui (Schoten, Belgium, 1961; lives in Antwerp, Belgium);
3. Akinbode Akinbiyi (Oxford, UK, 1946; lives in Berlin, Germany);
4. Laurie Anderson (Chicago, United States, 1947; lives in New York City, United States);
5. Fabrice Aragno (Neuchâtel, Switzerland, 1970; lives in Lausanne, Switzerland);
6. arms ache avid aeon, a group consisting of: Nancy Brooks Brody (New York City, United States, 1962; d. 2023); Joy Episalla (Bronxville, U.S., 1957; lives in New York City, U.S.); Zoe Leonard (Liberty, U.S., 1961; lives in New York City, U.S.); Carrie Yamaoka (Glen Cove, U.S., 1957; lives in New York City, U.S.); fierce pussy (Founded 1991, New York City, U.S.); Jo-ey Tang (Hong Kong, China, 1978; lives in New York City, U.S.);
7. Kader Attia (Dugny, France, 1970; lives in Berlin, Germany and Paris, France);
8. Sammy Baloji (Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo, 1978; lives in Brussels, Belgium and Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo);
9. Ranti Bam (Lagos, Nigeria, 1985; lives in Paris, France and Lagos, Nigeria);
10. Alvaro Barrington (Caracas, Venezuela, 1983; lives in London, UK);
11. Éric Baudelaire (Salt Lake City, United States, 1973; lives in Paris, France);
12. Sabian Baumann (Zug, Switzerland, 1962; lives in Zurich, Switzerland);
13. blaxTARLINES KUMASI (Founded in 2015, Kumasi, Ghana);
14. Beverly Buchanan (Fuquay, United States, 1940; D. 2015);
15. Seyni Awa Camara (Oussouy, Senegal, 1945; D. 2026);
16. Nick Cave (Chicago, United States, 1959; lives in Chicago, United States);
17. Carolina Caycedo (London, United Kingdom, 1978; lives in Los Angeles, United States and Caguas, Puerto Rico);
18. Annalee Davis (St. Michael, Barbados, 1963; lives in St. George, Barbados);
19. BuBu de la Madeleine (Osaka, Japan, 1961; lives in Nara, Japan);
20. Dawn DeDeaux (New Orleans, United States, 1952; lives in New Orleans, United States);
21. Nolan Oswald Dennis (Lusaka, Zambia, 1988; lives in Johannesburg, South Africa);
22. Denniston Hill (Founded 2008, Glen Wild, United States);
23. Bonnie Devine (Toronto, Canada, 1952; lives in Toronto, Canada);
24. Godfried Donkor (Accra, Ghana, 1964; lives in London, UK and Accra, Ghana);
25. Marcel Duchamp (1887 - 1968);
26. Edouard Duval-Carrié (Port-au-Prince, Haiti, 1954; lives in Miami, United States);
27. Torkwase Dyson (Chicago, United States, 1973; lives in Beacon, United States);
28. rana elnemr (Hanover, Germany, 1974; lives in Cairo, Egypt);
29. Theo Eshetu (London, UK, 1958; lives in Berlin, Germany and Rome, Italy);
30. Rachel Fallon (Dublin, Ireland, 1971; lives in Dublin, Ireland);
31. G.A.S. Foundation (Founded 2023, Lagos and Ijebu Ode, Nigeria);
32. Sofía Gallisá Muriente (San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1986; lives in Puerto Rico);
33. Adebunmi Gbadebo (Livingston, United States, 1992; lives in Philadelphia and Newark, United States);
34. Leonilda González (1923 - 2017);
35. Linda Goode Bryant (Columbus, United States, 1949; lives in New York City, United States);
36. Joana Hadjithomas (Beirut, Lebanon, 1969; lives in Beirut, Lebanon and Paris, France) & Khalil Joreige (Moussaitbeh, Lebanon, 1969; lives in Beirut, Lebanon and Paris, France);
37. Alexa Kumiko Hatanaka (Toronto, Canada, 1988; lives in Toronto, Canada; New York City, United States; and Japan);
38. Ayrson Heráclito (Macaúbas, Brazil, 1968; lives in Salvador, Brazil);
39. Clarissa Herbst (Crailsheim, Germany, 1959; lives in Zurich, Switzerland) & Dominique Rust (Basel, Switzerland, 1960; lives in Zurich, Switzerland);
40. Nicholas Hlobo (Cape Town, South Africa, 1975; lives in Johannesburg, South Africa);
41. Carsten Höller (Brussels, Belgium, 1961; lives in Stockholm, Sweden; Biriwa, Ghana; and Tuscany, Italy);
42. Sohrab Hura (Chinsurah, India, 1981; lives in New Delhi, India);
43. Alfredo Jaar (Santiago, Chile, 1965; lives in Lisbon, Portugal);
44. Mohammed Joha (Gaza, Palestine, 1978; lives in Marseille, France);
45. Michael Joo (Ithaca, United States, 1966; lives in New York City, United States);
46. Nina Katchadourian (Stanford, United States, 1968; lives in New York City, United States and Berlin, Germany);
47. Bodys Isek Kingelez (1948 - 2015);
48. Sandra Knecht (Buus, Switzerland, 1968; lives in Buus, Switzerland);
49. Marcia Kure (Kano State, Nigeria, 1970; lives in Princeton, United States; Abuja and Kaduna, Nigeria);
50. Natalia Lassalle-Morillo (San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1991; lives in San Juan, Puerto Rico);
51. Florence Lazar (Paris, France, 1966; lives in Paris, France);
52. Dan Lie (1988; lives in Berlin, Germany);
53. Werewere Liking (Mgombas, Cameroon, 1950; lives in Abidjan, Ivory Coast);
54. lugar a dudas (Founded in 2004, Cali, Colombia);
55. Daniel Lind-Ramos (Loiza, Puerto Rico, 1953; lives in Loiza, Puerto Rico);
56. Alice Maher (Tipperary, Ireland, 1956; lives in County Mayo, Ireland);
57. Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons (Matanzas, Cuba, 1959; lives in Nashville, United States) & Kamaal Malak (Philadelphia, United States, 1962; lives in Nashville, United States);
58. Senzeni Marasela (Thokoza, South Africa, 1977; lives in Johannesburg, South Africa);
59. Guadalupe Maravilla (San Salvador, El Salvador, 1976; lives in New York City, United States);
60. Manuel Mathieu (Port-au-Prince, Haiti, 1986; lives in Montreal, Canada and Paris, France);
61. Georgina Maxim (Harare, Zimbabwe, 1980; lives in Harare and Mutare, Zimbabwe);
62. Tiona Nekkia McClodden (Blytheville, United States, 1981; lives in Philadelphia, United States);
63. Big Chief Demond Melancon (New Orleans, United States, 1978; lives in New Orleans, United States);
64. Avi Mograbi (Tel Aviv, 1956; lives in Lisbon, Portugal);
65. Wangechi Mutu (Nairobi, Kenya, 1972; lives in New York City, United States and Nairobi, Kenya);
66. Nairobi Contemporary Art Institute (Founded in 2020, Nairobi, Kenya);
67. Eustaquio Neves (Juatuba, Brazil, 1955; lives in Diamantina, Brazil);
68. Tuấn Andrew Nguyễn (Sài Gòn, Vietnam, 1976; lives in Hội An, works in Hồ Chí Minh City, Vietnam);
69. Tammy Nguyen (San Francisco, United States, 1984; lives in Easton, United States);
70. Otobong Nkanga (Kano, Nigeria, 1974; lives in Antwerp, Belgium and Uyo, Nigeria);
71. Kaloki Nyamai (Nairobi, Kenya, 1985; lives in Nairobi, Kenya);
72. Temitayo Ogunbiyi (Rochester, United States, 1984; lives in Lagos, Nigeria);
73. Pauline Oliveros (1932 - 2016);
74. Kambui Olujimi (Brooklyn, New York City, United States, 1976; lives in New York City, United States);
75. Hagar Ophir (Jerusalem, 1983; lives in Berlin, Germany);
76. Uriel Orlow (Zurich, Switzerland, 1973; lives in Lisbon, Portugal; London, UK; and Basel, Switzerland);
77. Ebony G. Patterson (Kingston, Jamaica, 1981; lives in Kingston, Jamaica and Chicago, United States);
78. Rajni Perera (Colombo, Sri Lanka, 1985; lives in Toronto, Canada) & Marigold Santos (Manila, Philippines, 1981; lives in Calgary, Canada);
79. Thania Petersen (Cape Town, South Africa, 1980; lives in Cape Town, South Africa);
80. Alan Phelan (Dublin, Ireland, 1968; lives in Dublin, Ireland);
81. Johannes Phokela (Johannesburg, South Africa, 1966; lives in Johannesburg, South Africa);
82. Léonard Pongo (Liège, Belgium, 1988; lives in Brussels, Belgium and Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo);
83. Walid Raad (Chbanieh, Lebanon, 1967; lives in Medusa, United States);
84. Mohammed Z. Rahman (London, UK, 1997; lives in London, UK);
85. RAW Material Company (Founded 2008, Dakar, Senegal);
86. Tabita Rezaire (Paris, France, 1989; lives in Cayenne, French Guiana);
87. Guadalupe Rosales (Redwood City, United States, 1980; lives in Los Angeles, United States);
88. Yo-E Ryou (Seoul, South Korea, 1987; lives in Seoul and Jeju Island, South Korea);
89. Khaled Sabsabi (Tripoli, Lebanon, 1965; lives in Sydney, Australia);
90. Rose Salane (New York City, United States, 1992; lives in New York City, United States);
91. Issa Samb (1945 - 2017);
92. Amina Saoudi Aït Khay (Casablanca, Morocco, 1955; lives in Sousse, Tunisia);
93. Carrie Schneider (Chicago, United States, 1979; lives in New York City, United States);
94. Hala Schoukair (Beirut, Lebanon, 1957; lives in Beirut, Lebanon);
95. Berni Searle (Cape Town, South Africa, 1964; lives in Cape Town, South Africa);
96. Mmakgabo Mmapula Helen Sebidi (Marapyane, South Africa, 1943; lives in Johannesburg, South Africa);
97. Wardha Shabbir (Lahore, Pakistan, 1987; lives in Lahore, Pakistan);
98. Yoshiko Shimada (Tokyo, Japan, 1959; lives in Chiba, Japan);
99. Himali Singh Soin (New Delhi, India, 1987; lives in London, UK and New Delhi, India) & David Soin Tappeser (Bonn, Germany, 1985; lives in London, UK and New Delhi, India);
100. Buhlebezwe Siwani (Johannesburg, South Africa, 1987; lives in Amsterdam, Netherlands and Cape Town, South Africa);
101. Cauleen Smith (Riverside, United States, 1967; lives in Los Angeles, United States);
102. Vera Tamari (Jerusalem, Palestine, 1944; lives in Ramallah, Palestine);
103. Tsai Ming-liang (Kuching, Malaysia, 1957; lives in New Taipei City and Taipei, Taiwan);
104. Victoria-Idongesit Udondian (Uyo, Nigeria, 1982; lives in Lagos, Nigeria and New York City, United States);
105. Celia Vásquez Yui (Pucallpa, Peru, 1960; lives in the Peruvian Amazon, Pucallpa, Peru);
106. Kemang Wa Lehulere (Cape Town, South Africa, 1984; lives in Cape Town, South Africa);
107. Kennedy Yanko (St. Louis, United States, 1988; lives in Miami, United States);
108. Raed Yassin (Beirut, Lebanon, 1979; lives in Beirut, Lebanon and Berlin, Germany);
109. Sawangwongse Yawnghwe (Shan State, Burma, 1971; lives in Zutphen, Netherlands and Chiang Mai, Thailand);
110. Billie Zangewa (Blantyre, Malawi, 1973; lives in Johannesburg, South Africa).

Venice Biennale 2026, here are the invited artists: no Italians on the list

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