Oman’s Biennale artist

Oman has chosen Haitham Al Busafi to represent the country at the 2026 Venice Biennale with an installation built from sand, metal, and sound. (artasiapacific.com) Al Busafi is an artist, architect, and curator, and he will also curate Oman’s pavilion at the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. The exhibition opens on May 9, 2026, and runs through Nov. 22, 2026. (artasiapacific.com (arabnews.com) The project is titled “Zīnah” or “Zinah,” and it is commissioned by Oman’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth for the Arsenale Artiglierie in Venice. Organizers said it reworks the Omani tradition of silver horse adornment, known as Al-zannah or Al-zaanah, into a large participatory environment. (arabnews.com) (artdaily.com) That matters in Biennale terms because national pavilions are how countries present a single artist or curatorial statement to an international audience that includes curators, collectors, and museums. Oman’s 2026 announcement lands as Venice releases pavilion updates ahead of the exhibition’s opening next month. (labiennale.org) (artasiapacific.com) La Biennale has also named the five-member International Jury that will decide the exhibition’s main prizes. Solange Oliveira Farkas will serve as president, joined by Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi. (labiennale.org) The jury will award the Golden Lion for best national participation, the Golden Lion for best participant in the international exhibition, the Silver Lion for a promising young participant, and up to two special mentions. La Biennale said the awards ceremony is set for May 9, 2026. (labiennale.org) The 2026 edition is the 61st International Art Exhibition, and La Biennale has given it the title “In Minor Keys.” That places Al Busafi’s pavilion inside one of the art world’s biggest recurring showcases, where national selections often shape broader museum and market attention. (labiennale.org 1) (labiennale.org 2) For Oman, the announcement adds another state-backed cultural project aimed at raising its profile abroad through a Venice pavilion. For Venice, it adds one more national presentation to a Biennale that will begin handing out its top awards on opening day. (canvasonline.com) (labiennale.org)