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The 10 best pavilions to see at the 2026 Venice Art Biennale. Artribune's top ten

I 10 migliori padiglioni da vedere alla Biennale d’Arte di Venezia 2026. La top ten di Artribune

Artribune presents its top ten must-see national pavilions at the 2026 Venice Biennale, which features a record 100 participating countries. The article highlights standout projects including Greece's escape room by Andreas Angelidakis critiquing nationalist populism, Belgium's participatory dance installation by Miet Warloop, and Canada's greenhouse-like pavilion by Abbas Akhavan exploring colonial botany. The Biennale, curated by Koyo Kouoh under the theme "In Minor Keys," is marked by last-minute jury resignations leading to public voting for the Golden Lions, as well as protests over the participation of Russia and Israel.

This selection matters because it reflects the Biennale's role as a barometer of global cultural and political tensions, with pavilions directly engaging issues of nationalism, digital saturation, human connection, and colonial history. The shift to public voting for awards and the controversies surrounding national representations underscore the evolving function of national pavilions in a polarized art world, making this year's edition particularly significant for understanding contemporary art's intersection with geopolitics.