Oman picks Al Busafi
- Oman selected Haitham Al Busafi to represent the country at the 2026 Venice Biennale. - His pavilion will combine sand, metal, and sound into a materially driven installation. - The choice underscores this Biennale cycle's emphasis on sensory, material-based work. (artasiapacific.com)
Oman has chosen artist, architect, and curator Haitham Al Busafi to represent the country at the 61st Venice Biennale in 2026. (artasiapacific.com) Al Busafi’s project is titled *Zīnah (Adornment)*, and it is scheduled for the Biennale Arte 2026 exhibition that runs from May 9 to November 22, with previews on May 6, 7, and 8. (labiennale.org) The pavilion will be installed in the Arsenale Artiglierie and will combine sand, suspended metal, and sound in a participatory environment. Al Busafi is also serving as the pavilion’s curator. (artdaily.com) The work draws on *al-zannah*, a tradition of Omani silver horse adornment, and recasts it at architectural scale rather than as a small crafted object. (artdaily.com) That choice places Oman inside the main pattern already taking shape for this Biennale cycle. The 2026 edition, *In Minor Keys*, was conceived by the late curator Koyo Kouoh around quieter forms, lower frequencies, and close attention to material and sensory experience. (labiennale.org) Oman’s selection also extends a broader state-backed cultural push. The pavilion is commissioned by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, and Omani officials have framed the Biennale as part of the country’s effort to expand its cultural presence abroad. (canvasonline.com) The Venice Biennale remains one of the art world’s biggest national-stage events, and the 2026 edition will include 100 national participations alongside 31 collateral events. (labiennale.org) Oman has used the Biennale before as a platform for cultural diplomacy. The country mounted a national pavilion at the 59th Venice International Art Biennale in 2022, with officials linking that appearance to Oman Vision 2040 and the promotion of Omani culture overseas. (timesofoman.com) Now the country is returning with a project built from sand, metal, and sound, and with a form rooted in horse adornment but scaled for an international pavilion. The test in Venice will be whether that local reference can hold the room on the Biennale’s largest global stage. (artasiapacific.com)
