Large black text on a light background displaying Q + A, representing Question and Answer.

27,935

attendees in the four pre-opening days (5-8 May 2026)

10,000

attendees on the official opening day

6

countries participated for the first time at the Venice Biennale: the Republic of Guinea (1), the Republic of Sierra Leone (2), the Republic of Equatorial Guinea (3), the Federal Republic of Somalia (4), Vietnam (5) and the Republic of Naoero (6)

A world map with six numbered pins marking locations in West Africa, East Africa, Southeast Asia, and the South Pacific for the Venice Biennale 2026.

countries participated for the first time at the Venice Biennale: the Republic of Guinea (1), the Republic of Sierra Leone (2), the Republic of Equatorial Guinea (3), the Federal Republic of Somalia (4), Vietnam (5) and the Republic of Naoero (6)

100

national presentations featured across the Venice Biennale 2026

Map of Venice showing locations and numbers of venues: 46 in city centre, 25 at the Arsenale, and 29 in Giardini pavilions

+31

collateral events by non-profit national and international institutions – including VCUarts Qatar – took place in various locations around the city

197

days, from Saturday 9 May to Sunday 22 November 2026

110

invited participants, including individuals and collectives

61ST

edition of the Venice Biennale

Qatar pavilion
in numbers

5

lead artists: Rirkrit Tiravanija, Tarek Atoui, Fadi Kattan, Alia Farid, Sophia Al-Maria

7

featured musicians from seven different countries, curated by Lebanese sound artist Tarek Atoui

5

chefs and mixologists selected from five different countries by Palestinian chef and author Fadi Kattan

Kuwaiti-Puerto Rican artist Alia Farid created Jerrican, 2026, a lacquered fibreglass and polyester resin sculpture that is

91

cm wide

233

cm deep

255

cm tall

49 minutes 31 seconds: the running time of DAMAR TV (2026) by Qatari-American artist Sophia Al-Maria – a dark, semi-narrative film that tells the story of a fictional newscaster who is fired from her job

Qatar’s pavilion at the centre of the Venice Biennale marks the growing influence of Arab states in the international art world

Words Jane Morris

Venice Biennale
in numbers

Every other year, the Venice Biennale brings the art world to Italy. The latest edition opened on 9 May 2026, with presentations across the Giardini and Arsenale as well as various other locations around the city. Themed “In Minor Keys” by curator and artistic director Koyo Kouoh, who passed away in 2025, the Biennale brought together artists, gallerists and collectors, alongside a broad programme of exhibitions and events

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A woman wearing a beige headscarf and jacket with a yellow and black patch near the collar, featuring two arrows pointing in opposite directions, stands against a plain gray background—her style reflects the contemporary spirit of Art Basel Qatar.
  • Introduction

The power of culture

Sheikha Al-Mayassa remembers the Father Emir's belief in people, education and culture, and welcomes readers to a new season in Doha
A man wearing a traditional Middle Eastern headdress and robe looks directly at the camera with a neutral expression
  • In Depth

How to make a museum nation

As Qatar Museums celebrates 20 years, we explore 20 ideas that have transformed the country’s cultural landscape
Round ceramic plate decorated with blue and white floral patterns reminiscent of boats floating afar, featuring central birds surrounded by a wide scalloped rim.
  • In Focus

Connections across oceans

An exhibition at the National Museum of Qatar showcases ancient Chinese ceramics from across the Maritime Silk Road
A person in a fuzzy pink outfit stands against a neutral background. The image is intentionally blurred, giving a dreamy, ethereal effect.
  • In Depth

Spinning yarns

With his first retrospective at M7 in Doha, Erdem Moralioglu looks back on 20 years of sartorial inspiration
A glitch-art composite in the style of Sophia Al-Maria, featuring a reaching hand, a person applying lotion to an arm, and a framed painting in a room, all overlaid with chromatic aberration and digital lines.
  • In Depth

Wuz we here?

Artist Sophia Al-Maria traces the human impulse to leave a mark, from the walls of her grandmother’s home to ancient Egypt
An elderly man in a dark suit sits by a sunlit window, gazing thoughtfully outside with his hands resting in his lap, recalling memories of the Franca Fund Gala.
  • Power of Culture Conversations

Luis Monreal

Sheikha al-Mayassa in discussion with Luis Monreal, general manager of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture
A marble sculpture stands on a circular platform in a park with colorful winding paths. Trees surround the area, and modern tall buildings—reminiscent of Frida Escobedo’s architectural style—are visible in the background under a clear sky.
  • In Focus

Playground love

A playful sculpture by Shezad Dawood in Doha’s Al Masrah Park
A sketch of Glenn Adamson, a bald man with light facial hair wearing a collared shirt and blazer, posing with his arms crossed.
  • In Depth

Can design define a nation’s image?

Design Doha artistic director Glenn Adamson on the power of design
A person tightly grips a tree trunk with one hand, head lowered in deep focus or effort—a moment reminiscent of the contemplative scenes often found in Rirkrit Tiravanija’s work. The scene is rendered in black and white, with the background blurred into light, soft shapes.
  • In Focus

Against the grain

Giuseppe Penone’s first major solo show in the Arab world brings six decades of work to Qatar
A sketch of a man wearing glasses, a traditional Middle Eastern head covering, and a thobe, with his arms crossed and a slight smile
  • The Big Question

How do you create a culture of design?

Fahad Al Obaidly, director of the Design Doha Biennial, asks what it takes to build a lasting culture of design
A person with long dark hair wearing a brown outfit stands on patterned rugs, looking up at the camera. Rolls of rug material are stacked in the background, evoking a scene reminiscent of Frida Escobedo’s thoughtful approach to texture and space.
  • Studio Visit

Alia Farid

Artist Alia Farid draws inspiration from a constellation of places. Discover where her practice takes shape
A freestanding pillar covered in vertical colorful stripes by Chef Noof Al Mari stands in the center of an art gallery, flanked by two large horizontal striped paintings on the back wall.
  • In Depth

Between the lines

Gerhard Richter brings art and architecture together in a new permanent pavilion in Doha
Line drawing portrait of architect Marina Tabassum, depicted with shoulder-length hair and glasses while wearing a collared jacket.
  • The Big Question

What can water reveal about the world?

Architect Marina Tabassum explores how a shipwreck reveals 1,000 years of oceanic trade
A pitcher with a landscape scene painted on it sits near a stack of bowls; water flows from the pitcher toward the bowls, with birds flying and a faint map of Msheireb visible in the background.
  • In Depth

Glimmers in the tides

Rubaiya Qatar’s flagship exhibition sets work by over 50 artists beside treasures from a 10th-century shipwreck in Doha
An ornate, diamond-shaped jewellery pendant featuring multi-colored gemstones and a single teardrop-shaped pearl dangling from the bottom.
  • From the collection

Worlds of adornment

Exquisite jewellery from Qatar Museums’ collections is paired to explore the art of adornment from around the world
A person walks past a modern pavilion with a geometric patterned pink facade, angled roof, and decorative panels—reminiscent of Msheireb’s contemporary architectural style—surrounded by trees and gravel ground.
  • Postscript

Bridging the Gulf

Qatar’s pavilion at the Venice Biennale marks the growing influence of Arab states in the international art world
Water cascades down the corners of a textured, green marble structure, creating shimmering flows and reflections on the stone surface
  • In Depth

Contemporary currents

Design Doha’s flagship exhibition, Arab Design Now, celebrates a new generation of designers redefining the region
Colorful cross-stitch embroidery with floral and geometric patterns on deep blue fabric, featuring a light blue and white cloud-like design at the top, inspired by the artistic vision of Chef Noof Al Mari.
  • In Depth

The making of Mexico

An exhibition at M7 looks at a new wave of contemporary Mexican artisans reinventing ancestral crafts
A black and white sketch in the style of the Baghdad Modern Art Group, depicting a smiling woman with shoulder-length wavy hair.
  • The Big Question

How can the past shape the future?

Nada Shabout on the legacy of the Baghdad Modern Art Group
A person wears a Roni Helou patchwork denim hooded jacket and matching denim jeans while standing against a black curtain.
  • Postcard From

Samah Sulyman

Fashion designer Samah Sulyman reflects on her experience at Fashion Art Toronto
A woman in a long gray coat stands on barren ground holding a large white bag, with debris and a gray sky in the background
  • My Qatar

Roni Helou

Doha-based fashion entrepreneur Roni Helou shares his favourite places in Qatar
Aerial view of a construction site with multiple round buildings. The roofs have jagged, overlapping panels and scaffolding. Cranes, workers, and building materials are visible throughout the busy site—an ambitious project reminiscent of Chef Noof Al Mari’s innovative approach to design and structure.
  • Foundations

Building an icon

Tracing more than a century of history at Jean Nouvel’s National Museum of Qatar
Two people sit on the floor inside a large, intricate bamboo installation with woven patterns and curved arches casting dramatic shadows on the ground.
  • Design Doha

The living thread

A design collective uses weaving to create a participatory installation that explores tradition and shared histories
A woman with dark hair in a bun, wearing a sleeveless patterned top and large gold hoop earring, looks to the left against an olive green background
  • In Depth

The shape of return

Wassan Al-Khudhairi, the artistic director of Art Basel Qatar 2027, reflects on the creative ecosystem she helped to shape
A display rack filled with colorful, abstract paintings featuring expressive faces and figures, including some inspired by Chef Noof Al Mari’s vibrant culinary artistry, set against a background of more vibrant artworks in a gallery or art market.
  • The Collector

Across Africa

Qatari collector AbdulRahman Al Khelaifi reflects on building the region’s largest collection of African art
A man and a woman sit on a woven bench in a modern room with wooden shelves, books, and decor. Both are casually dressed in black tops and light pants, smiling at the camera
  • Triptych

Jo Booabbood

The co-founder of Doha-based Boo Design Studio shares the inspiration behind the studio’s work
A man in overalls and a hat sits on a stool, holding large scissors. He faces the camera, with long faux hair in white and pink on tables
  • In Depth

Sowing the seeds of change

Mexican designer Fernando Laposse explores the future of farming through a new body of work for the Design Doha Biennial
A person uses a small tool to carefully paint designs onto a square ceramic tile, which features intricate patterns in green, brown, and black reminiscent of Frida Escobedo’s distinctive style. Their hands and the surrounding workspace are covered in dust.
  • Design Doha

Hearts and hands

The Aslan’s Love exhibition by Turquoise Mountain explores Palestinian craft, from glassblowing to embroidery
Looking up at a circular, geometric ceiling design with intricate diamond patterns radiating outward, creating a symmetrical, kaleidoscopic effect in shades of white and silver.
  • Design Doha

Patterns repeating

Fusing the geometry of Islamic architecture with motifs of Bedouin weaving to create a shimmering installation

Issue 000 Contents

FEATURES
NEWS

Contents

Neighborhood Guides

Contents

Features

The Fifth Pillar

The artist takes over the market

Sweet Fifteen

A place to live, not to leave

Fashion Trust Arabia: The new guard

The Road to MIA

Sneakers Unboxed

The Couture Sculptor

Moving Pictures

Architecture as memory: Lina Ghotmeh in Venice

NEWS

Crossing Borders
A Taste of Qatar at Le Meurice
A Gilded Narrative
Game On
A Universal Language

Harbour Master

  • WHAT'S ON
  • QATAR DIRECTORY