Oman Pavilion Preview

Oman has named Haitham Al Busafi to represent the country at the 2026 Venice Biennale with a new national pavilion installation. (artasiapacific.com) Al Busafi is an Omani artist, architect, and curator, and his project is titled *Zīnah* — Arabic for “adornment.” ArtAsiaPacific reported on April 22 that the work will combine sand, metal, and sound. (artasiapacific.com) The pavilion is commissioned by Oman’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth and will be installed in the Arsenale Artiglierie, one of the Biennale’s main exhibition sites in Venice. ArtDaily said Al Busafi will also serve as the project’s curator. (artdaily.com) The 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia runs from May 9 to November 22, 2026, with preview days on May 6, 7, and 8. The main exhibition is titled *In Minor Keys*. (labiennale.org) That puts Oman’s announcement in the middle of a broader rollout of national pavilions for the 2026 edition, which is being staged across the Giardini, the Arsenale, and other sites in Venice. The Biennale’s official program lists 110 invited participants in the central exhibition. (labiennale.org) Oman’s pavilion also extends a recent push by Gulf and Arab states to use the Biennale’s national format to present locally rooted work to an international audience. Canvas said Oman framed the project as part of a national effort to expand its cultural presence abroad. (canvasonline.com) More specifically, *Zīnah* draws on Omani horse adornment traditions, with ArtDaily describing the installation as a large-scale transformation of silver ornament used in equestrian culture. Green Prophet separately reported that the work turns that reference into an immersive sensory environment. (artdaily.com, greenprophet.com) For visitors in Venice next month, the result will be one of the first chances to see how Oman wants to define itself on one of contemporary art’s biggest international stages. (myartguides.com)