Key artists and curators of 2026 Venice Biennale

The 2026 Venice Biennale is set to feature a diverse array of artists and curators, each bringing unique perspectives and contributions to the global art scene.

Koyo Kouoh
Appointed as the Artistic Director of the 2026 Venice Biennale, Koyo Kouoh is a Cameroonian-born curator renowned for her extensive work in contemporary African art. Since 2019, she has served as the Executive Director and Chief Curator of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) in Cape Town. Prior to this, Kouoh founded the RAW Material Company in Dakar, Senegal, a center dedicated to art, knowledge, and society.
Her curatorial approach often emphasizes solo retrospectives, aiming to deeply explore individual artists' narratives. Kouoh's selection as the Biennale's Artistic Director underscores her influential role in the art world. Kouoh is the first African woman to lead the lauded event since its inception in 1895.

AustriaArtist: Florentina HolzingerCurator: Nora-Swantje Almes
Florentina Holzinger is an Austrian choreographer and performance artist renowned for her provocative and boundary-pushing works. Born in 1986 in Vienna, she studied choreography at the School for New Dance Development in Amsterdam. Her performances often feature all-female casts and explore themes of female physicality and representation, blending elements of high art and popular entertainment. Notable works include "Apollon," a feminist reinterpretation of Balanchine's ballet, and "Sancta," an opera production known for its explicit content.
Nora-Swantje Almes is a contemporary curator and artist whose work delves into themes of identity, memory, and the human experience. Utilizing a multidisciplinary approach, she combines elements of visual art, performance, and installation to create immersive experiences that challenge traditional narratives and invite introspection.

Belgium
Artist: Miet Warlop
Curator: Caroline Dumalin
Miet Warlop is a Belgian visual artist and performer celebrated for her imaginative and experimental approach to theater and installation art. Her works often blur the lines between reality and fiction, incorporating absurdity and humour to explore human behaviour and societal norms. Warlop's performances are characterized by their dynamic energy and inventive use of everyday objects.
Caroline Dumalin is a curator and art historian known for her innovative exhibitions that highlight emerging and established contemporary artists. With a keen eye for groundbreaking work, she has contributed significantly to the discourse on contemporary art through her curatorial projects and writings, fostering a deeper understanding of artistic practices.

Canada
Artist: Abbas Akhavan
Abbas Akhavan is an Iranian-Canadian artist whose practice encompasses site-specific installations, drawing, video, and performance. His work often addresses the relationship between domestic spaces and the natural environment, reflecting on themes of displacement, memory, and the fragility of life. Akhavan's installations are noted for their subtlety and poetic resonance.

Estonia
Artist: Merike Estna
Merike Estna is an Estonian artist who merges painting with performance and craft traditions to challenge the conventions of contemporary art. Her vibrant works often incorporate textile patterns and references to digital culture, creating a dialogue between the tactile and the virtual, and exploring the boundaries of painting as a medium.

Finland
Artist: Jenna Sutela
Curator: Stefanie Hessler
Jenna Sutela is a Finnish artist whose work explores biological and computational systems, seeking to understand the connections between technology and the human body. Through installations, sound, and text, she investigates the possibilities of artificial intelligence and the potential for new forms of communication beyond human language.
Stefanie Hessler is a curator, writer, and editor specializing in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches to art and ecology. Her projects often explore the intersections of art, technology, and the environment, fostering collaborations that challenge traditional boundaries and propose new ways of understanding complex systems.

France
Artist: Yto Barrada
Yto Barrada is a Moroccan-French artist whose multimedia practice encompasses photography, film, sculpture, and installation. Her work explores themes of cultural identity, history, and the effects of globalization, often focusing on her native Tangier to reflect on broader socio-political issues. Barrada's art is characterized by its narrative depth and critical engagement with place.

Great Britain
Artist: Lubaina Himid
Born in Zanzibar in 1954 and raised in Britain, Lubaina Himid is a pioneering artist and curator celebrated for addressing themes of racism, feminism, and cultural memory. She notably organized exhibitions showcasing Black female artists in the mid-1980s and gained wider acclaim after winning the Turner Prize in 2017.
Himid's work often transcends the materials used, serving as metaphors and allegories that challenge societal norms. She has been chosen to represent Britain at the 2026 Venice Biennale, marking a significant milestone in her illustrious career.

Iceland
Artist: Ásta Fanney Sigurðardóttir
Ásta Fanney Sigurðardóttir is an Icelandic artist, poet, and musician known for her interdisciplinary approach that blends visual art, literature, and sound. Her performances and installations often incorporate elements of improvisation and explore the boundaries between different art forms, creating immersive experiences that challenge conventional categorizations.

IrelandArtist: Isabel NolanCurator: Georgina Jackson
Isabel Nolan is an Irish artist whose diverse practice includes sculpture, painting, textile work, and writing. Her art often investigates the human desire to find meaning and order in the world, drawing on subjects ranging from cosmology to literature, and is noted for its philosophical depth and material sensitivity.
Georgina Jackson is the Director of The Douglas Hyde Gallery of Contemporary Art in Dublin, Ireland. With a background in curating and art history, she has been instrumental in presenting innovative exhibitions that showcase both Irish and international contemporary artists, contributing to the dynamic cultural landscape of Dublin.

Lithuania
Artist: Eglė Budvytytė
Curator: Louise O'Kelly
Eglė Budvytytė is a Lithuanian artist and filmmaker whose work explores the relationship between body, architecture, and public space. Through performative videos and live performances, she investigates how behavior is influenced by social and environmental factors, often blurring the lines between performer and spectator.
Louise O'Kelly is a curator and founder of Block Universe, London's leading international performance art festival. Her work focuses on promoting cutting-edge performance art, providing a platform for artists to engage with contemporary issues through live practices, and fostering dialogue between diverse audiences and practitioners.

Luxembourg
Artist: Aline Bouvy
Curator: Stilbé Schroeder
Aline Bouvy is a Belgian artist whose multidisciplinary practice encompasses sculpture, installation, and performance. Her work often challenges societal norms and conventions, addressing themes of sexuality, identity, and the human condition with a provocative and critical approach that encourages viewers to question their assumptions.
Stilbé Schroeder is a contemporary artist known for her explorations of digital culture and its impact on human perception and interaction. Through multimedia installations and interactive works, she examines the boundaries between the virtual and the real, inviting audiences to reflect on their relationship with technology.

Aotearoa New Zealand
Artist: Fiona Pardington
Fiona Pardington is a New Zealand photographer renowned for her still-life images that explore themes of memory, loss, and the passage of time. Her work often features objects of cultural and historical significance, rendered with meticulous detail, and reflects on the complexities of identity and heritage.

TaiwanArtist: Li Yi-FanLi Yi-Fan is a contemporary artist whose work spans installation, video, and performance art. His practice investigates the intersections of personal and collective memory, often drawing on historical narratives to explore themes of identity, migration, and the construction of cultural meaning in a globalized world.