The national pavilion of Qatar has announced details of its presentation, “untitled 2026 (a gathering of remarkable people); Rirkrit Tiravanija, Sophia Al-Maria, Tarek Atoui, Alia Farid, Fadi Kattan,” for the 61st Venice Biennale. Cocurated by Tom Eccles and Ruba Katrib, the exhibition will be held in the Giardini della Biennale on the site of the forthcoming permanent Qatar Pavilion designed by Lina Ghotmeh.

The show centers on a tent-like structure designed by Thai artist Rirkrit Tiravanija, whose practice consistently uses architecture and constructed environments as frameworks for collaborative and participatory activity. The temporary structure references traditional Qatari communal spaces and broader Arab cultural contexts, and will accommodate four contributions: a film by Qatari American artist and writer Sophia Al-Maria; a large-scale lacquered fiberglass sculpture titled Jerrican (2022–26) by Kuwaiti Puerto Rican artist Alia Farid; live performances organized by Lebanese sound artist and composer Tarek Atoui; and a food program designed by Palestinian chef Fadi Kattan, featuring chefs from the MENA region.

In a statement, the pavilion’s commissioner Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani said: “[T]his exhibition demonstrates Qatar’s unwavering belief in the power of culture to bring people together and to create space for reflection, connection, and affirmation of our shared humanity. ”

The Qatar Pavilion runs from May 9 to November 22, produced by Qatar Museums and presented by Rubaiya Qatar, the country’s quadrennial which will stage its inaugural edition in November 2026.

Yuqian Fan is an editorial assistant at ArtAsiaPacific.