At the Venice Biennale, the Armenian Pavilion Transforms into an Artist's Workshop: Works Are Born in Front of the Public

The Armenian Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale will transform into a functioning artist's studio, where sculptor Zadik Zadikian will create works in real time before the public. Titled "The Studio," the project is curated by gallerist Tony Shafrazi and curator Tina Chakarian, and will operate daily from May 6 to November 22 at the Tesa 41 of the Arsenale. Zadikian, born in Yerevan in 1948 and now based in the US, will work with traditional Armenian plaster techniques alongside his son Aram and studio assistants, emphasizing the process of making over the finished object.

This project matters because it directly embodies the Biennale's curatorial theme "In Minor Keys" set by Koyo Kouoh, foregrounding craft, labor, and the creative process as the artwork itself. By turning the pavilion into a live workshop, the Armenian presentation challenges conventional exhibition formats and invites audiences to witness the material and intellectual decisions behind sculpture. It also highlights the Armenian diaspora's artistic legacy and the enduring relevance of hands-on making in a digital age.