Venue: Giardini, Venice Biennale
Date: May 9 — November 22, 2026
Artist Rirkrit Tiravanija led the Qatar National Pavilion at the 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia with Untitled 2026 (a gathering of remarkable people), a large-scale, collaborative project that expanded his long-standing practice of participatory art and social engagement.
Commissioned by Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, President of Qatar Museums, the project brought together a group of artists and practitioners spanning disciplines and geographies, including Sophia Al-Maria, Tarek Atoui, Alia Farid, and Fadi Kattan.
At the core of the project was a tent-like structure conceived by Tiravanija as a space for gathering, exchange, and dialogue. Drawing on architectural and social traditions from the Arab world, the structure functioned as a living environment in which artistic, sonic, and culinary practices unfolded collectively.
Tiravanija’s approach built on decades of work that invited others to intervene within shared spaces. In Venice, this ethos took shape through a series of interconnected contributions: an experimental film by Sophia Al-Maria exploring sound and transformation; live, improvised performances curated by Tarek Atoui in collaboration with musicians and poets; a monumental sculptural installation, Jerrican (2022–2026), by Alia Farid; and a culinary programme led by Palestinian chef Fadi Kattan, featuring Middle Eastern food traditions shaped by migration and exchange.
“I am honored to collaborate with Qatar Museums, the Rubaiya Qatar team, and all the artists contributing to this experience in Venice,” Tiravanija said. “Together, we aim to show how different aspects of Arab culture can come together through shared experience.”
Produced by Qatar Museums and presented by Rubaiya Qatar, the exhibition was co-curated by Tom Eccles and Ruba Katrib and was staged at the Giardini della Biennale, on the site designated for Qatar’s future permanent pavilion, designed by Lina Ghotmeh – Architecture.
The project reflected Tiravanija’s enduring interest in art as a social practice—one that blurred the boundaries between disciplines and prioritized participation over spectacle. Throughout the Biennale’s preview days (May 6–8) and opening weekend (May 9–10), the pavilion hosted a series of performances curated by Atoui, inspired by takht and wasla, classical forms of Arabic musical composition. These durational, improvisational performances evoked historical modes of gathering and listening.
Parallel to this, Kattan’s culinary programme activated the space through food, with chefs from Qatar and the Gulf region presenting interpretations of traditional dishes such as harees and jareesh. Together, these elements reinforced Tiravanija’s vision of the pavilion as a site where culture was experienced collectively—through sound, taste, and shared presence.
“In the global context of the Venice Biennale, this exhibition demonstrates Qatar’s belief in the power of culture to unite people," said Sheikha Al Mayassa. “Together, these artists highlight resilience, shared heritage, and the importance of community in a complex age.”
By foregrounding collaboration and lived experience, Tiravanija’s Untitled 2026 (a gathering of remarkable people) positioned the Qatar Pavilion not simply as an exhibition, but as an evolving platform—one that brought people together through the fundamental acts of gathering, listening, and sharing.
Source: e-flux, Artforum, Finestresull'Arte
