Oman picks Al Busafi
- Oman will be represented at Venice 2026 by Haitham Al Busafi with a site-specific installation. - Al Busafi's plan combines sand, metal, and sound as core materials for his pavilion work. - His selection gives a concrete artistic thread to watch amid broader Biennale disputes over national pavilions. (artasiapacific.com) (artnews.com)
Oman has chosen Haitham Al Busafi to represent the country at the 2026 Venice Biennale with a new installation called *ZĪNAH (Adornment).* (artasiapacific.com) The 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia opens on May 9, 2026 and runs through November 22, with preview days on May 6, 7, and 8. Oman’s pavilion is set for the Arsenale Artiglierie, and Al Busafi is serving as both artist and curator. (labiennale.org) (artdaily.com) Al Busafi’s project uses sand, suspended metal, and collectively generated sound to build a site-specific environment rather than a wall-based show. The work draws on *Al-zaanah*, the Omani tradition of silver ornaments made for horses. (artasiapacific.com) (canvasonline.com) That choice places Oman’s pavilion inside a Biennale structure built around national presentations as much as the central exhibition. La Biennale says the 2026 edition includes 100 National Participations and 31 Collateral Events. (labiennale.org) The main exhibition for 2026 carries the title *In Minor Keys* and is proceeding with the late curator Koyo Kouoh’s project. The jury for the Golden Lion awards was announced on April 22, underscoring how close the exhibition now is to opening. (labiennale.org 1) (labiennale.org 2) Oman is not arriving in Venice for the first time. La Biennale listed Oman in the 2024 art edition with *Malath – Haven*, and the country also appeared as a first-time national participant in the 2025 architecture biennale. (labiennale.org 1) (labiennale.org 2) The selection also lands during a season when some national pavilions have been shaped by disputes over state selection and representation. In South Africa, a canceled 2026 pavilion presentation moved into court after the artist and curator challenged the government’s reversal. (news.artnet.com) Oman’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth has framed its Venice participation as part of a broader push to expand the country’s cultural presence abroad. In that context, Al Busafi’s pavilion gives Oman a defined artistic proposition before the Biennale opens in less than three weeks. (muscatdaily.com) (artasiapacific.com)
