May 9–November 22, 2026
Italy
On May 9, 2026, the 61st International Venice Biennale opens in Venice. This year’s edition includes a significant Polish presence, with projects by Polish artists and curators presented across three national pavilions and in the official collateral events programme.
At the Polish Pavilion, organized by Zachęta—National Gallery of Art, visitors will see Liquid Tongues, an audio-visual installation by Bogna Burska and Daniel Kotowski developed in collaboration with the community-based Choir in Motion (Chór w Ruchu), composed of hearing and Deaf participants.
The project explores language as a shared system of communication that extends beyond speech to include sign languages and non-human forms. It draws inspiration from Songs of the Humpback Whale by Roger Payne, a landmark recording that contributed to the global ban on whale hunting by revealing the complexity of non-human communication.
Set both underwater and above the surface, the installation features collective scenes and dialogues performed by artists and choir members, constructing a narrative through sound and movement. The story unfolds through choral compositions performed vocally and in sign language. Curated by Ewa Chomicka and Jolanta Woszczenko, the exhibition continues the programme of the Polish Pavilion, organized by Zachęta for over 70 years.
Polish curators are also involved in other national pavilions: Natalia Sielewicz will curate the Estonian Pavilion, while Małgorzata Ludwisiak will oversee the Albanian Pavilion.
The Estonian Pavilion, The House of Leaking Sky, curated by Natalia Sielewicz and produced by the Estonian Centre for Contemporary Art, will feature a live painting process by Merike Estna. Beginning with a blank canvas, the artist will paint daily in front of the audience, gradually creating a series that will form a large-scale installation of twenty-two canvases.
The Albanian Pavilion will present A Place in the Sun, curated by Małgorzata Ludwisiak, featuring a three-channel video installation by Genti Korini. Combining acting, puppetry, animation, and an original soundscape, the work takes the form of a fictional performance staged in Zaum – an experimental language developed by early twentieth-century Russian Futurist poets. Conceived as a “pure language” without grammar or syntax, Zaum functions here as a a device to confront us with the unknown.
At the historic Procuratie Vecchie on St. Mark’s Square, the Starak Family Foundation will present Tadeusz Kantor (1915–1990). Emballage, Cricotage and Madame Jarema as an official collateral event of the Biennale. Curated by Ania Muszyńska, the exhibition will focus on the relationship and artistic output of Tadeusz Kantor and Maria Jarema—key figures of the Polish postwar avant-garde. The display will include original theatrical objects, props, and costume recreations, offering insight into their creative processes.
The 61st International Venice Biennale will run from May 9 to November 22, 2026.
