The Venice Biennale remains the art world’s most visible stage – a place where artists are elevated, reputations are cemented and nations frame their cultural narratives.
With the 61st event set to begin in May, several Arab countries have begun unveiling their selections. Here is what has been confirmed so far.
UAE
The National Pavilion UAE has appointed Bana Kattan as curator for its 2026 exhibition.
Kattan is associate head of exhibitions at the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Project. The exhibiting artist or artists for the UAE pavilion have not yet been announced.
In a statement, Kattan said: “Having worked extensively in the region and alongside a wide range of multigenerational and transdisciplinary artists from the Arab world, I look forward to contributing my experience to a project that reflects the UAE’s vibrant artistic landscape while engaging with broader histories, complexities and conversations.”
Lebanon
Lebanon will be represented by Nabil Nahas.
The project, titled Don’t Get Me Wrong, is described as an immersive installation composed of acrylic-on-canvas panels forming a large-scale frieze. The pavilion is curated by Dr Nada Ghandour and organised by the Lebanese Visual Art Association in collaboration with Lebanon’s Ministry of Culture.
Nahas is known for richly textured canvases that reference botanical and marine forms, often incorporating recurring motifs such as the cedar.
Lebanon’s Minister of Culture, Dr Ghassan Salame, said the selection reflected “an appreciation of Lebanese creators who move between inside and outside the country, while their attachment to their homeland remains steadfast,” adding that he was proud of Lebanon’s presence at the 2026 Venice Biennale.
Ghandour told The Beiruter: “In 2026, the Pavilion of Lebanon will stand as a celebration of creativity and fraternity … art has the ability to create bonds that transcend geographical, cultural, historical and ideological boundaries.”
Morocco
Morocco has announced Amina Agueznay as its representative for the 2026 Venice Biennale.
The project, titled Asetta, is curated by Meriem Berrada and commissioned by Morocco’s Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication.
Agueznay’s practice frequently incorporates weaving, metal and other craft-based materials, engaging with questions of heritage, labour and collective memory.
Syria
Syria will present work by Sara Shamma in a project titled The Tower Tomb of Palmyra. The pavilion will be curated by Yuko Hasegawa, director of the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa.
Combining painting, architecture, light, sound and scent, the exhibition will take the form of a large-scale immersive installation inspired by the ancient funerary towers of Palmyra. Built between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD, the tower tombs were monumental family mausoleums that rose above the desert landscape. Many were destroyed during the war, and numerous funerary portraits were looted and sold abroad, transforming the site into a symbol of cultural loss.
Shamma said: “Through The Tower Tomb of Palmyra, I aim to honour Syria’s cultural heritage and the resilience of its people. Palmyra’s towers, though destroyed, continue to speak to the strength and diversity of our history. This exhibition is not only a reflection on loss, but a message of hope, unity, and the importance of protecting and restoring our shared heritage.”
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has selected Dana Awartani to represent the Kingdom at the 2026 Venice Biennale.
Awartani’s practice engages with geometry, architectural pattern and material processes, often drawing from historical craft traditions.
In a statement, Awartani said: “I am deeply honoured to be representing Saudi Arabia and its diverse cultural voices and communities at the Venice Biennale 2026.
“My practice is rooted in foregrounding Middle Eastern cultural histories through the revival of craft practices and the preservation of the region’s globally important material heritage. I am thrilled to have the chance to develop a major new work for the Saudi pavilion.”
Further details about the title and format of the project have not yet been released.
Still to be announced
Several Arab countries that have participated in previous iterations of the Venice Biennale – including Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan – have not yet publicly confirmed their representatives.
Additional announcements are expected in the coming months.
