The prestigious Venice Biennale 2026 once again transforms Venice into a global stage for contemporary creativity, bringing together visionary artists, architects, and cultural voices from around the world. Among the standout national presentations this year, the UAE Pavilion continues to strengthen its presence. Curated by Bana Kattan and assistant curator Tala Nassar, this year’s exhibition “ Washwasha” promises a compelling experience of visual storytelling, identity, and cultural memory through a diverse collection of works by regional and international artists.

Set to welcome visitors this May in Venice, “Washwasha” brings together the creative practices of Mays Albaik, Jawad Al Malhi, Farah Al Qasimi, Alaa Edris, Lamya Gargash, and Taus Makhacheva.  The exhibition showcases the UAE’s evolving artistic landscape and contributes to the broader global conversations surrounding heritage, transformation, and human connection. Discover the six artists contributing to the creative vision of “Washwasha”. 

 Mays Albaik

Mays Albaik is among the participating artists to “Washwasha” this year at the National Pavilion UAE. She works across video,  performance, text and installations that explores the relationship between body, language, migration and displacement, creating deeply emotional work material that reflects themes of identity and belonging.

Based in Abu Dhabi, Akbaik has become an influential figure within the UAE art scene. Her work has been exhibited at major cultural institutions including Tashkeel, Louvre Abu Dhabi and Manarat Al Saadiyat. This year she will be adding a meaningful artistic chapter at the Biennale.  

Jawad Al Malhi

Working across painting, sculpture, photography and video, Jawad Al Malhi work explores themes of transformation, memory and resilience of communities. As he lives between East Jerusalem and Abu Dhabi, his artistic approach reflects his layered cultural narratives accumulated through personal and collective experiences.

Al Malhi has a strong connection with the UAE’s cultural landscape through his collaboration with leading institutions including the Cultural Foundation of Abu Dhabi. His works is held in the permanent collections of Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Sharjah Art Foundation and Barjeel Art Foundation. Al Malhi has previously participated in Venice Biennale 53rd exhibition in the Palestine Pavilion.

Farah Al Qasimi

Living between New York and Abu Dhabi, Farah Al Qasimi has become internationally recognized for her richly layered artistic practice and was recently named a Guggenheim Foundation fellow and her work is part of the permanent collection of the the foundation.

This year, Al Qasimi brings her distinctive visual language to “Washwasha” through her vibrant large scale vinyl imagery, photography and film. Her work captures the aesthetics of everyday life in the UAE and exploring the flow of information within todays hyper connected world.

Alaa Edris

Alaa Edris approaches her artistic practice as both an anthropologist and storyteller, using installation, photography, film, and performance to create experimental mappings of the social and cultural environments surrounding her.

Living and working between Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, she explores the rapidly shifting landscapes of the UAE and its relation to tradition, memory and modern progress. As she is the alumna of the Salama bint Hamdan Emerging Artist Fellowship, her work has become a prominent presence within the UAE’s contemporary art scene, with exhibitions at Art Dubai, Manarat Al Saadiyat, Sharjah Biennial, Maraya Art Centre, and Alserkal Avenue.

Lamya Gargash

Lamya Gargash is a participating artist at “Washwasha” through her work in photography and film, documenting the overlooked and transitional spaces within Emirati society. Her practice often focuses on domestic interiors, architecture, and spaces such as the majlis, preserving the social and emotional memories  related to them while capturing the changing identity of the UAE’s urban landscape.

Living and working in Dubai, Gargash has played an important role in the country’s contemporary art scene and shares a long-standing relationship with the National Pavilion UAE as she represented the UAE during the pavilion’s debut at the 53rd International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia. She is also a graduate of the American University of Sharjah.

Taus Makhacheva

Taus Makhacheva brings a playful and thought-provoking voice to “Washwasha,” using performance, video, and installation to question how history and cultural identity are constructed. Her work often mixes fact and fiction, creating layered narratives that challenge fixed ideas of authenticity.

Living and working between Dubai and Moscow, her practice reflects the UAE’s role as a place of cultural exchange and movement. Her work is included in the Sharjah Art Foundation collection, showing her continued contribution to the region’s art scene. Makhacheva is also familiar with the Venice Biennale as she participated in the “Viva Arte Viva” exhibition at the 57th International Art Exhibition. Earlier in her career, she also exhibited in the UAE in 2013 at the Maraya Art Centre, marking the start of her ongoing relationship with the region.

“Washwasha” brings together six distinct artists to the National Pavilion UAE’s at the 61 International Art Exhibition- Venice Biennale 2026. Each of them is showcasing the richness and beauty of contemporary artistic practice in the UAE through his own unique lens. Their work is meant to create dialogue that moves beyond geography and highlights shared human experiences.

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Images: Instagram & Supplied and Feature Image: Instagram  @nationalpavilionuae, getty