The Qatari Pavilion serves as a national pavilion of the Venice Biennale, accommodating the official representation of Qatar throughout the duration of the exhibition.
Background
Building
In 2024, Qatar Museums and the Venice government agreed to build their relationships and cultural exchange in a Protocol of Cooperation. The Qatari pavilion was the first new permanent national pavilion built in the Giardini della Biennale in 30 years. Permanent additions to the Giardini are sparing, with Qatar being only the third country in 50 years to open a permanent pavilion, following Australia in 1973 and Korea in 1995. The pavilion is centrally located in the Giardini, near its Book Pavilion.
Lina Ghotmeh is the building's architect. No completion date has been announced.
Exhibitions
The inaugural exhibition was an installation on the future pavilion's site, showing Pakistani artist Yasmeen Lari's Community Center during the 2025 Venice Biennale of Architecture. Qatar held a second exhibition at ACP-Palazzo Franchetti showcasing 20 architects from the MENASA region (Middle East and North Africa and South Asia). Artist Rirkrit Tiravanija 's exhibition at the 2026 Venice Biennale of Art took place in a tent at the pavilion's site.
Art
# Year Artist(s) Curator(s) Show notes Ref 61st 2026 Tom Eccles, Ruba Katrib "Untitled (a gathering of remarkable people)"
Architecture
# Year Artist(s) Curator(s) Show notes Ref 19th 2025 Aurélien Lemonier, Sean Anderson, Virgile Alexandre "Beyti Beytak. My home is your home. La mia casa è la tua casa." Lari's Community Center is meant to showcase exchange across the MENASA region.
References
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Further reading