Bana Kattan selected as curator for 2026 Venice Biennale

The National Pavilion UAE announces the appointment of Bana Kattan, Curator and Associate Head of Exhibitions at the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, as curator of the UAE’s upcoming participation in the 61st International Venice Biennale in 2026. Kattan was selected by a committee of leading figures from the UAE's creative sector, including representatives from government, museums, and universities. The Pavilion’s presentation at the Venice Biennale 2026 will be accompanied by a dedicated publication.

Before joining the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Kattan served as Associate Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, where she curated exhibitions featuring multigenerational artists, including Wafaa Bilal (2025), Maryam Taghavi (2024), and Mona Hatoum (2023). Previously, at the NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery, she curated a research-driven exhibition program including Permanent Temporariness by Sandi Hilal and Alessandro Petti (2018), exploring themes of displacement and refugeeness, and But We Cannot See Them: Tracing a UAE Art Community, 1988–2008 (2017), which highlighted a group of pioneering Emirati artists and the interconnected nature of their community.

Born in Abu Dhabi and raised in the UAE, Kattan is deeply connected to the country’s cultural landscape and has witnessed the growth and evolution of its artistic community. Drawing on her experience in the region, she has played an active role in shaping discourse around the UAE’s contemporary art scene. Her work engages with socio-political and historical themes while fostering dialogue among both emerging and established artists, across generations, disciplines and various media.

Bana Kattan: “It is an honor to be appointed curator of the National Pavilion UAE for the Venice Biennale 2026. Having worked extensively in the region and alongside a wide range of multigenerational and transdisciplinary artists from the Arab world, I look forward to contributing my experience to a project that reflects the UAE’s vibrant artistic landscape while engaging with broader histories, complexities, and conversations.”

Laila Binbrek, Director of the National Pavilion UAE: “Bana Kattan’s career has been deeply intertwined with the UAE, from her early work at the NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery to her leadership role at the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. We are thrilled to welcome her as curator for the Venice Biennale 2026. Her appointment reflects the Pavilion’s driving purpose: to shed light on underexplored narratives by bringing together diverse artistic perspectives that reflect the UAE’s unique blend of histories and communities."

The National Pavilion UAE will present its exhibition for the 61st International Art Exhibition—In Minor Keys by Koyo Kouoh—from Saturday, 9 May to Sunday, 22 November 2026 (pre-opening on 6, 7 and 8 May).

The Venice Biennale 2026 will mark the UAE’s fifteenth exhibition at the Art and Architecture International Exhibitions organized by the Venice Biennale and its ninth participation in the International Art Exhibition.

The National Pavilion UAE is commissioned by the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation and supported by the UAE Ministry of Culture, with a permanent pavilion at the Arsenale—Sale d’Armi.

About Bana Kattan
Bana Kattan is Curator and Associate Head of Exhibitions at the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and has been appointed curator of the National Pavilion UAE at the 61st International Venice Biennale in 2026. Previously, she served as Associate Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago and Curator at the NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery. Her recent projects include solo exhibitions with Wafaa Bilal (2025), Maryam Taghavi (2024), and Mona Hatoum (2023). Kattan holds an MA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and is a recipient of the Barjeel Global Fellowship and Getty-CAA International Program Grants. She was born in Abu Dhabi and is currently based in New York City.

For press enquiries, please contact Florian Vanicatte at florian@sendreceive.eu and press@nationalpavilionuae.org.