Story perspectives

Canada Picks Akhavan; Oman Names Curator for 2026 Biennale

4/23/2026

Summary

Akhavan Represents Canada

Canada named Abbas Akhavan as its 2026 Venice Biennale representative, backed by Concordia’s Faculty of Fine Arts, the National Gallery of Canada and patron Vickie Zhao.
Oman appointed Haitham Al Busafi to curate its 2026 Venice Biennale pavilion, which will feature Zinah in Arsenale Artiglierie, combining sand, metal and sound to reinterpret Al-Zaanah harness.
H.E. Sayyid Saeed bin Sultan Al Busaidi said Zinah offers an “offering” that ties beauty, function and ethics.

Summary

EU Halts Grant

The EU Commission will halt its €2 million Biennale grant after Russia’s pavilion was readmitted.
Mayor Luigi Brugnaro warned the Russian pavilion will be shut if used for propaganda.
Pussy Riot’s Nadezhda Tolokonnikova denounced the Russian show as image-polishing and urged inclusion of political prisoners.
Seven new countries—including Nauru, Qatar, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Vietnam—joined the 2026 Biennale, bringing participants to 100.

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Akhavan Represents Canada

Canada named Abbas Akhavan as its 2026 Venice Biennale representative, backed by Concordia’s Faculty of Fine Arts, the National Gallery of Canada and patron Vickie Zhao.
Oman appointed Haitham Al Busafi to curate its 2026 Venice Biennale pavilion, which will feature Zinah in Arsenale Artiglierie, combining sand, metal and sound to reinterpret Al-Zaanah harness.
H.E. Sayyid Saeed bin Sultan Al Busaidi said Zinah offers an “offering” that ties beauty, function and ethics.

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