Venice Pavilion 2026: 'Persistent Notes' Listens to the City and Shapes its Symbols

The Venice Pavilion for the 61st International Art Exhibition of the Biennale, scheduled to open to the public on May 9, 2026, is titled Persistent Notes (Note persistenti). Curated by Giovanna Zabotti, with the participation of Denis Isaia and Cesare Biasini Selvaggi, the project conceptualizes Venice as a living organism. It delves into the city's "minor keys"—its foundational elements, the narratives of its inhabitants, and the transformations of its material essence—engaging in a profound dialogue with the Biennale's overarching theme, In Minor Keys.

Zabotti described the pavilion as a "return to Venice's deepest notes," envisioning it as a relational space where artworks do more than just exist to be observed; they actively foster connections between people, histories, and perceptions. The core aim is to highlight Venice's unique identity through subtle and poetic signs: the interplay of light reflecting from its waters onto ancient walls, its often-unseen submerged components, the intimate memories woven into the daily lives of its residents, and the rich, multi-layered stratification of cultures that define it. The Pavilion is thus configured as a "collective score," extending an invitation for active listening and shared experiences.

The exhibition's design unfolds through a sequence of environments, guiding visitors through four symbolic dimensions of the city: submerged, domestic, mythological, and collective. This structure transforms the Pavilion into a resonant field, connecting past, present, and future. Rather than presenting a linear narrative, it functions as a dynamic score where each artwork acts as a "note," capable of activating profound connections between perceptions, stories, and relationships.

The **submerged dimension** is brought to life by Alberto Scodro, whose sculptures investigate the invisible forces and foundational elements that sustain Venice. His creations, formed through meticulous processes of fusion and sedimentation of materials like sand, glass, and pigments, evoke geological concretions and natural dynamics, presenting matter as a continuous, ever-evolving process.

For the **mythological dimension**, renowned musician Dardust has composed an original immersive installation titled SommersiVo. Conceived with scenographer Paolo Fantin and leveraging cutting-edge technological support from H-Farm and Cisco, this generative sound system employs artificial intelligence to react in real-time to environmental data, ambient sounds, and visitor movements, effectively transforming the city itself into a dynamic compositional organism. Dardust explained that this musical work offers an immersion into Venice's invisible space, a realm where past and present seamlessly merge, and where "what we have been does not disappear but remains, submerged and alive."

The **domestic dimension** is explored through Venetian Diary (Diario veneziano) by Ilya and Emilia Kabakov. This participatory project, which continues a thematic path initiated previously, gathers everyday objects and deeply personal narratives from residents of both the lagoon city and the mainland. These elements, meticulously arranged in thematic showcases and accompanied by intimate stories, construct a collective yet profoundly personal portrait that spans generations, professions, and diverse communities. Emilia Kabakov shared her personal connection to Venice, emphasizing the project as a testament to the enduring spirit of collaboration with Venetians, particularly in what she described as a "strange and troubled time."

Completing this artistic journey is the **collective dimension**, embodied by the dedicated space for the Creators of Our Time (Artefici del Nostro Tempo) competition. This initiative is specifically designed to support and showcase new generations of artists under 35. For its seventh edition, the competition featured an impressive 504 works across various sections, including painting, video, photography, sculpture, and urban practices. This area is intentionally designed as a vibrant meeting and conversation space, further reinforcing the Pavilion's core concept as a relational and openly accessible environment.

In summary, the Persistent Notes project presents an image of Venice that deliberately moves beyond immediate or superficial representations. Instead, it prioritizes the subtle traces, lingering echoes, and fragmented details, revealing a city that manifests through accumulation, intricate stratification, and minimal yet profound signs. It is precisely in this fragile and diffused aspect that Venice rediscovers and reasserts its authentic and continuous essence.