Rirkrit Tiravanija Leads Qatar Pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale with “Untitled 2026 (a gathering of remarkable people)”

Venue: Giardini, Venice Biennale
Date: May 9 — November 22, 2026

 

Artist Rirkrit Tiravanija will lead 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 expands 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 brings 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 is 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 functions as a living environment in which artistic, sonic, and culinary practices unfold collectively.

 

Tiravanija’s approach builds on decades of work that invite others to intervene within shared spaces. In Venice, this ethos takes 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.

 

 

Produced by Qatar Museums and presented by Rubaiya Qatar, the exhibition is co-curated by Tom Eccles and Ruba Katrib, and will be staged at the Giardini della Biennale, on the site designated for Qatar’s future permanent pavilion, designed by Lina Ghotmeh – Architecture.

 

The project reflects Tiravanija’s enduring interest in art as a social practice—one that blurs the boundaries between disciplines and prioritizes participation over spectacle. Throughout the Biennale’s preview days (May 6–8) and opening weekend (May 9–10), the pavilion will host a series of performances curated by Atoui, inspired by takht and wasla, classical forms of Arabic musical composition. These durational, improvisational performances evoke historical modes of gathering and listening.

 

Parallel to this, Kattan’s culinary programme will activate 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 reinforce Tiravanija’s vision of the pavilion as a site where culture is 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) positions the Qatar Pavilion not simply as an exhibition, but as an evolving platform—one that brings people together through the fundamental acts of gathering, listening, and sharing.

  

Source: e-flux, Artforum, Finestresull'Arte