Venice 2026: The Biennale That Matters Without a Jury
The 61st Art Biennale bears the imprint of Koyo Kouoh, who never lived to see its opening. *In Minor Keys* runs until November 2026-without a jury.
//CULTUREThe 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia has been running since 9 May and will continue until 22 November 2026. Its title is *In Minor Keys*, its curator was Koyo Kouoh-and she died in May 2025 before she could witness her own creation.
Key Takeaways
- The 61st Biennale Arte opened on 9 May 2026 and runs until 22 November 2026 in the Giardini and Arsenale.
- Title: *In Minor Keys*, the curatorial concept of Koyo Kouoh, former director of Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town, who passed away in 2025.
- 99 countries are represented with national pavilions; the central exhibition features 110 invited artists.
- The international jury resigned en masse at the end of April 2026. There will be no Golden Lion awarded in 2026.
- Instead, the audience will vote on the final day to award two Visitors’ Lions.
An Opening Without Its Architect
You know that feeling when someone designs a space but isn’t there to step inside it? That’s the essence of this Biennale. Koyo Kouoh, born in Cameroon and most recently director of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town, had finalized the concept. On 8 April 2025, she sent her curatorial statement to the Biennale president. Weeks later, in May 2025, she died of liver cancer-just days after the diagnosis.
The Biennale faced a decision no one wants to make. With the full support of Kouoh’s family, it chose to proceed with the exhibition as she had planned. A team she had assembled herself-including advisors Gabe Beckhurst Feijoo, Marie Helene Pereira, and Rasha Salti-brought her vision to completion. What hangs, stands, and resonates in Venice isn’t a posthumous commentary on Kouoh. It’s her work.
What *In Minor Keys* Really Means
The title isn’t just marketing. Kouoh borrowed it from music, and it means exactly what it says. She wrote about shifting down a gear and tuning into the frequencies of minor keys. Not the loud, not the spectacular, not the grand gestures that every Biennale loves to celebrate. Instead, the quiet, the hesitant, the things you only hear when you stop talking.
That’s a bold stance for the world’s largest art exhibition. A Biennale thrives on crowds, on queues outside pavilions, on the competition between nations. *In Minor Keys* defies that. It demands you slow down. In an era where every institution is clamoring to be heard, that’s almost a luxury – and it’s the most compelling position a Biennale has taken in years.
The Scandal That Overshadowed the Opening
This Biennale will also be remembered for another reason. In late April 2026, just before the opening, the five-member international jury resigned en masse. The resignation was signed by president Solange Oliveira Farkas along with Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi.
The backdrop is political and uncomfortable. The jury had declared it would not consider national pavilions from countries under investigation by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity. This stance affected the participation of Israel and Russia, both already contentious. When the Biennale refused to comply, the jury drew the line and stepped down.
A Biennale without a Golden Lion sounds like a loss. In reality, it’s the most honest edition in years – because it proves art and politics can’t be neatly separated.
When the Audience Awards the Prize
This edition is unprecedented. In 2026, there will be no Golden Lion in the traditional sense. The awards ceremony, usually the glittering opening act before the launch, has been postponed to November 22-the final day. And this time, the prizes won’t be decided by a panel of experts, but by the public.
Two so-called Visitors Lions are up for grabs: one for the best contribution to the central exhibition *In Minor Keys*, and another for the best national pavilion. You, as a visitor, have a say. This isn’t just a stopgap solution-it shifts power from a closed committee to the people who actually walk the halls. Whether this rewards better art remains to be seen. But it’s certainly more exciting.
99 Countries, 110 Voices
For all the buzz around the jury and politics, let’s not forget what this is really about. Ninety-nine countries are represented with national pavilions, spread across the Giardini and the Arsenale. The central exhibition brings together 110 invited artists. That’s the real substance – and it bears Kouoh’s signature.
In early May, over 70 artists withdrew from the awards competition in solidarity with the resigned jury. Their works remain on display, but the move underscores how deeply this edition is shaped by an ethos that transcends individual pieces. Venice 2026 is a Biennale reflecting on itself.
Why the Trip to Venice Is Worth It
Some years, the Biennale feels like a box-ticking exercise-pavilions checked off, a photo op with the Lion. If you prefer a more discerning approach, this exhibition is a must-see. But this year is different. Here, a quietly bold exhibition meets an institutional crisis more honest than any staged controversy. Together, they create a moment that could become historic.
If you’re in Venice between now and November 22, take time for both. And if you’re there in the summer, don’t miss Art Basel Unlimited, showcasing works too large for conventional booths. It’s the perfect counterpart to Kouoh’s muted tones – and to the question of who decides what makes art great. A Biennale that loses its jury and hands judgment to the public isn’t weakened. It’s one that takes a risk. And that’s exactly what makes it worth seeing.
Quick Answers
When is the Venice Biennale 2026 taking place?
The 61st International Art Exhibition runs from May 9 to November 22, 2026, in Venice, at the Giardini and the Arsenale. Preview days were held in early May.
Who curated *In Minor Keys*?
The concept was developed by Koyo Kouoh, former director of Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town. She passed away in May 2025, before the exhibition opened. A team she appointed carried out her plans.
Why is there no Golden Lion in 2026?
The five-member international jury resigned en masse in late April 2026, over disputes regarding the handling of certain national pavilions. Instead of a Golden Lion, the public will vote on two Visitors Lions on the final day.
How many countries and artists are participating?
Ninety-nine countries are represented with national pavilions. The central exhibition curated by Koyo Kouoh features 110 invited artists.
Source header image: Pexels / Matheus Natan
