Marina Abramović debuts Venice work

Marina Abramović opened a new Venice project this month that asks viewers to do more than look. “Transforming Energy,” on view at the Gallerie dell’Accademia from May 6 to October 19, is being presented during the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, which runs through November 22 across the Giardini, Arsenale and other Venice sites. The museum says the show makes Abramović the first living woman artist to receive a major exhibition there. Coverage published on May 24 described the work as centered on audience participation, energy and legacy rather than passive viewing. ### Which work is Abramović showing in Venice? “Transforming Energy” is the name of Abramović’s exhibition at the Gallerie dell’Accademia di Venezia. The museum says the show is presented during Biennale Arte 2026 and runs from May 6 through October 19. The Gallerie dell’Accademia says the exhibition brings Abramović into one of Venice’s best-known historic institutions during the Biennale period. (gallerieaccademia.it) Surface, in a preview published on May 8, described the project as a full-circle moment for the artist, who has long been associated with Venice and won the Golden Lion at the Biennale in 1997. ### Why are reports calling it participatory rather than observational? The May 24 report cited in the briefing said Abramović’s new Venice work emphasizes audience participation, energy and legacy. That framing matches other descriptions of the exhibition as one that asks the public to engage physically and attentively with the work rather than stand apart from it. (gallerieaccademia.it) The Gallerie dell’Accademia says the exhibition is part of a broader presentation built around Abramović’s long-running interest in presence, body and transformation. The Biennale’s own information page also says its 2026 educational initiatives are aimed at the active involvement of participants, placing Abramović’s project inside a festival edition that repeatedly uses participation as a working method. (gallerieaccademia.it) ### Why is this Venice appearance notable for the museum? The Gallerie dell’Accademia says Abramović will be the first living woman artist honored with a major exhibition at the museum. That detail has been repeated in multiple previews ahead of the opening. Shai Baitel is identified in advance coverage as the curator working with Abramović on the project. (gallerieaccademia.it) Previews also tied the exhibition to Abramović’s 80th year, giving the show an explicit link to legacy as well as to her long relationship with Venice. ### How does it fit into the 2026 Venice Biennale itself? La Biennale di Venezia says the 61st International Art Exhibition, titled “In Minor Keys,” runs from Saturday, May 9, to Sunday, November 22, 2026. (gallerieaccademia.it) The exhibition was conceived by Koyo Kouoh and is spread across the Giardini, the Arsenale and various locations around Venice. Venice’s official Biennale site shows Abramović is also listed among exhibitors in “The Spirits of Maritime Crossing 2026,” a collateral event at Palazzo Rocca Contarini Corfù running from May 5 to August 2. (sanpoloartgallery.it) That means her presence in Venice this season extends beyond the Accademia show cited in the May 24 coverage. ### Where can visitors find the work next? The Gallerie dell’Accademia says “Transforming Energy” remains on view in Venice until October 19, 2026. (labiennale.org) La Biennale di Venezia says Biennale Arte 2026 continues until November 22, 2026, across its main venues and other city locations. (gallerieaccademia.it) (labiennale.org)