Morocco will debut its first-ever national pavilion at the 2026 Venice Art Biennale, presenting a monumental installation titled "Asǝṭṭa" by multidisciplinary artist Amina Agueznay. Curated by Meriem Berrada, the project is housed in the Arsenale's Artiglierie and explores themes of traditional craftsmanship, shared memory, and the symbolic threshold (âatba). The installation, which involves 166 Moroccan artisans and two Venetian collaborators, is conceived as a porous, liminal space that engages with the Biennale's theme "In Minor Keys," curated by Koyo Kouoh.
The debut of Morocco's national pavilion marks a significant milestone for the country's presence on the global contemporary art stage, signaling a broader shift toward recognizing non-Western artistic practices within the Venice Biennale's historically Eurocentric framework. By foregrounding craftsmanship as a form of knowledge production rather than mere heritage preservation, the pavilion challenges persistent hierarchies between art and craft, aligning with the Biennale's focus on marginalized or "minor" practices. This project also underscores the growing importance of collaborative, community-based art-making in major international exhibitions.