Iran will not participate in the 2026 Venice Biennale, organisers of the art exhibition have confirmed, just days before the exhibition opens to the public.
No reason was provided. Organisers said in a statement that they were “informed" Iran would not be participating.
The Venice Biennale opens on May 9 with about 100 countries taking part, including new participants Tanzania and the Seychelles.
South Africa will not present a pavilion for the first time since 2011 after a legal dispute over a Gaza-focused work by Gabrielle Goliath.
Iran returned to the Venice Biennale in 2003 after a nearly three-decade absence and has participated regularly since then. Its 2024 pavilion addressed women’s rights under the title Of One Essence is the Human Race.
The commissioner for this year’s planned pavilion was listed as Aydin Mahdizadeh Tehrani, director general of visual arts at Iran’s culture ministry.
The cancellation is the latest in a series of developments that have placed the event under scrutiny. Last week, the biennale’s five-member jury resigned, stepping down from awarding the Golden and Silver Lion prizes.
Organisers have instead introduced Visitor Lions, with winners to be determined by public vote and announced on November 22.
The move followed an April 22 statement indicating that countries facing charges at the International Criminal Court would not be considered for awards, a position widely seen as referring to Russia and Israel. It remains unclear whether the jury’s resignation was linked to that decision.
Tensions have also centred on the Russian Pavilion, which will be closed to the public during the exhibition after opening for the preview period from May 5 to 8.
