Vatican and Qatar set Biennale plans

The Vatican and Qatar have turned their 2026 Venice Biennale plans into two different kinds of gathering: one built around sound, the other around shared performance and hospitality. (theartnewspaper.com) The Holy See said its pavilion will center on sound and will include Brian Eno, FKA twigs, Precious Okoyomon and Otobong Nkanga. The project honors Saint Hildegard of Bingen, the 12th-century Benedictine abbess, composer and mystic. (theartnewspaper.com) Qatar said Thai artist Rirkrit Tiravanija will lead its national pavilion with “untitled 2026 (a gathering of remarkable people),” bringing together musicians, poets, chefs and artists from the Arab world. The pavilion opens May 9. (artforum.com) Both announcements land less than a month before the 61st International Art Exhibition opens to the public in Venice on May 9 and runs through November 22. La Biennale di Venezia says the preview days are May 6, 7 and 8. (labiennale.org) This year’s exhibition is titled *In Minor Keys* and was conceived by curator Koyo Kouoh before her death. La Biennale says it is carrying out the exhibition with the support of Kouoh’s family and following the project as she defined it. (labiennale.org) The Vatican’s choice fits the exhibition’s emphasis on listening and slower attention. In her introduction, Kouoh described *In Minor Keys* as an invitation to “tune in” to quieter frequencies rather than spectacle. (labiennale.org) Qatar’s presentation also extends a longer campaign to build a permanent presence in Venice. La Biennale said on March 4 that there will be 99 national participations in 2026, including Qatar, whose Giardini pavilion plans have been closely watched in the art world. (labiennale.org) The Holy See has used recent Biennale editions to connect contemporary art with Catholic institutions and public life. In 2024, its pavilion was staged in the women’s prison on Giudecca, and Pope Francis visited the site on April 28, 2024, for a meeting with artists. (press.vatican.va) Now both pavilions are betting that Venice audiences will spend time with art that unfolds through voices, food, music and ritual rather than objects alone. The test comes when the Biennale opens on Saturday, May 9. (theartnewspaper.com)