Qatar makes Venice Biennale debut with pavilion built on collaboration, food and live art

By Aadel Haleem Published on 11/05/2026 - 11:39 GMT+2 Share Comments Share Facebook Twitter Flipboard Send Reddit Linkedin Messenger Telegram VK Bluesky Threads Whatsapp

Led by artist Rirkrit Tiravanija, the project brings together artists, musicians and chefs from across the Arab world.

Often described as the world’s most prestigious international art exhibition, the Venice Biennale brings together countries, artists and curators from across the globe every two years.

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This year, Qatar is marking a major cultural milestone with its first official pavilion. The presentation takes place on the future site of its permanent pavilion in the Giardini, which will be the first new national pavilion there in 30 years.

Led by artist Rirkrit Tiravanija, the project "Untitled 2026: A gathering of remarkable people" turns the space into something closer to a living environment than a traditional exhibition.

A pavilion designed around gathering

Inside, visitors move between live music, film screenings and shared meals, with performances and conversations unfolding throughout the day.

“We are a multicultural country and we very much support that and work together with everybody,” said Sheikha Reem Al Thani, Deputy CEO of Qatar Museums.

Rather than presenting a single national narrative, the pavilion brings together artists, musicians and chefs from across the Arab world and its diasporas, reflecting a broader idea of cultural exchange.

At the centre of the space is a large tent structure designed by Tiravanija, where art is not only displayed but actively made in real time.

“At the moment in time, with all the troubles around in the world, I think it’s quite important for us to have a place to come together and also to hear and to smell and to taste things that are diverse,” Tiravanija said.

Co-curator Tom Eccles says that sense of immediacy defines the entire experience.

“I think what defines the energy of the space is really the fact that you can really see art being made, so the music you hear is really being made in that moment, being invented, so it’s a really vibrant place for creativity,” he said.

Responding to a wider regional moment

But beyond the performances and installations, organisers say the pavilion is also responding to a wider moment in the region.

“We are meeting in a difficult hour, when displacement, destruction and destabilisation are daily words across our region and beyond,” said Qatar Museums Chairperson Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.

“Culture connects what conflict tries to break apart and honours the humanity in each of us.”

For Qatar Museums, the Biennale presentation also acts as a preview of Rubaiya Qatar, a new nationwide contemporary art festival launching later this year.

Art as participation, not observation

Organisers say the pavilion is ultimately designed as a space for participation rather than observation.

“This pavilion is about the idea of gathering, of listening, of conversing, of eating and sharing food together,” Sheikha Reem said.

“You’re not going in to see an artwork on a wall. You’re actually a part of artwork.”

At a time of wider instability across the region and beyond, Qatar is positioning culture here not as backdrop, but as a shared space for dialogue, exchange and connection.

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Qatar makes Venice Biennale debut with pavilion built on collaboration, food and live art

• Exhibition
• Qatar
• Culture
• Venice Biennale
• Arab World