Venice Biennale 2026: Koyo Kouoh’s Subtle Notes and the 110 Artists on

Venice Biennale 2026: the subdued language of Koyo Kouoh's curatorship

In Minor Keys is the thematic thread of the exhibition curated by Koyo Kouoh: an appeal to tune into quieter tonalities and to experience art through subtle, contemplative gestures. The central show, carried out by Kouoh's team, gathers 110 artists and collectives, with a notable presence of African and Asian perspectives.

Against a backdrop of geopolitical debate and public protests around some national pavilions, the central exhibition avoids strict sectional divisions. Instead, it offers curatorially framed prompts—Altars, Processions, Schools, Performance—that create a viewing experience akin to a jazz improvisation.

What to see

• Central Pavilion: intimate tributes and installations that recall Kouoh's vision and invite literary and cultural reflection.
• Arsenale: emotionally charged works, including a poem by Refaat Alareer that sets a tone of mourning and memory, and Theo Eshet's rotating olive tree.
• Installations and sculptures: steel sculptures, vine-like works by Kader Attia incorporating glass fragments, and Avi Mogravi's archival projections on vanished commercial worlds in Lebanon, Palestine and Syria.
• Environmental and geopolitical themes: Alfredo Jaar's compact yet potent cube concentrating rare metals such as cobalt and lithium, prompting questions on global tensions.
• National pavilions: varied and provocative contributions that address issues from surrogacy and parenthood to large-scale symbolic works, including a major Ukrainian sculpture welcoming visitors.

Visitor information

• Locations: the exhibition unfolds mainly across the Giardini and the Arsenale in Venice.
• Opening: pre-opening organization involved strict access control; official opening times were announced as punctual (noted as 10:00 at gates during the launch).
• Tips: allow time to move between pavilions, read labels thoroughly and embrace the exhibition's prompts rather than a fixed route.

The 2026 Venice Biennale offers a broad snapshot of contemporary practice, privileging attentive, reflective encounters with art over sensational effects.