Thai artist Rirkrit Tiravanija will headline the Qatar Pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale with a collaborative project titled “Untitled (a gathering of remarkable people).” Curated by Tom Eccles and Ruba Katrib, the exhibition will be housed in a temporary tent in the Giardini on the site of Qatar’s future permanent pavilion. The presentation features a multidisciplinary roster including filmmaker Sophia Al-Maria, sound artist Tarek Atoui, sculptor Alia Farid, and chef Fadi Kattan, blending live performance, cinema, and Middle Eastern culinary traditions.
This project marks a significant moment for Qatar’s cultural diplomacy, emphasizing the nation's commitment to providing a global platform for Arab voices during a period of intense regional complexity. By utilizing Tiravanija’s signature relational aesthetics, the pavilion aims to foster cross-disciplinary dialogue and human connection. The inclusion of a permanent pavilion site designed by Lina Ghotmeh further signals Qatar's long-term investment in the Venice Biennale as a key venue for its soft power and heritage initiatives.