Rirkrit Tiravanija for Qatar

Qatar has picked Rirkrit Tiravanija to lead its national presentation at the 2026 Venice Biennale, with a pavilion built around gathering rather than a solo display. (artforum.com) The project is titled *untitled 2026 (a gathering of remarkable people)*, and Qatar said it will bring together musicians, poets, chefs, and artists from across the Arab world. (nationaltoday.com) Qatar’s pavilion team has named Sophia Al-Maria, Tarek Atoui, Alia Farid, and chef Fadi Kattan alongside Tiravanija, with Tom Eccles and Ruba Katrib as curators. (myartguides.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. (labiennale.org) Qatar released fuller details on April 13 and 14, 2026, describing a tent-like structure designed by Tiravanija as a space for encounter, performance, and food. (thepeninsulaqatar.com) That format fits Tiravanija’s career. He is best known for works that turn exhibitions into shared situations, including cooking, conversation, and participation inside gallery spaces. (artforum.com) The Venice commission also lands as Qatar expands its footprint at the Biennale itself. In February 2025, Qatar Museums said the country would build a permanent national pavilion in the Giardini, joining 30 other nations with permanent sites there. (qm.org.qa) The 2026 art exhibition is proceeding under the title *In Minor Keys*, a show conceived by curator Koyo Kouoh before her death, according to La Biennale di Venezia. (labiennale.org) For Qatar, the immediate plan is less a national survey than a live program: a pavilion that treats music, meals, and conversation as the exhibition’s main structure. (finestresullarte.info)