A Journey Through the 61st Venice Biennale
The 61st edition of the Venice Biennale is set to transform not only the iconic pavilions in the Giardini and Arsenale but also the entire city into a vibrant canvas for contemporary art. From noble palazzi to canals, artists from around the globe are contributing to this grand artistic spectacle. These satellite exhibitions, often overlooked, are integral to the Biennale experience, offering unique perspectives and experiences that extend beyond the main event.
Must-See Exhibitions Beyond the Main Show
To navigate the vast array of collateral events, here are some top picks that should not be missed:
From India to Venice: Pichwai at Palazzo Barbaro
Step into an esoteric world of Indian spiritual art at Palazzo Barbaro, a 15th-century patrician residence in the San Marco district. This exhibition explores the Pichwai tradition, an intricate textile art once glimpsed only behind temple idols of Shrinathji, a cherubic incarnation of Lord Krishna.
Originating in 17th-century Nathdwara, Rajasthan, these large-scale painted cloths were created as acts of devotion, layered with symbolic detail and narrative. They depict temple rituals, seasonal cycles, and sacred geographies through complex compositions.
Under the stewardship of cultural patron Pooja Singhal, the form is being revived for a contemporary audience. Her atelier, founded a decade ago, restores materials, retrains artisans, and expands the language of the craft. At Palazzo Barbaro, ten large-scale works will be on display, reimagining the 400-year-old genre through the lens of Venice.
This exhibition perpetuates Venice’s role as a meeting point between India and the West, bringing a fragile but living textile heritage to the international spotlight while supporting the master craftspeople who carry it forward.
CHIHULY: Venice 2026
Thirty years after an ambitious project that saw the installation of glass works throughout Venice’s canals, American artist Dale Chihuly is returning to the city. Presented by Pilchuck Glass School and Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, CHIHULY: Venice 2026 will feature three striking new outdoor chandeliers installed along the Grand Canal.
These monumental outdoor works, ranging from nearly 5 metres to 9.5 metres in height, will be visible from the Accademia Bridge. Look out for tendrilled towers that resemble giant aquatic plants in shimmering gold and marine blue. Visit at night to see them lit up bioluminescence-like.
Of Woman Born: Nalini Malani’s Installation
Commissioned by the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA), Kyoto Prize Laureate Nalini Malani has transformed the Magazzini del Sale along the Dorsoduro district’s Fondamenta Zattere into a continually changing “thought chamber” on women, myth, and global conflict.
Inspired by the Greek myth of Orestes, who murdered his mother and her lover to avenge their slaying of his father, the show explores themes of accountability and patriarchal violence. Malani translates the ancient tale into 67 animations with more than 30,000 iPad drawings projected onto the walls.
The drawings and the 20-minute soundscape of women’s voices create a layered, visceral, continually shifting environment where viewers conjure up their own stories from the layered superimpositions.
Jenny Saville at Ca’ Pesaro
Visit the International Gallery of Modern Art at Ca’ Pesaro for a landmark exhibition dedicated to British artist Jenny Saville. This is the first major exhibition of Saville’s work in Venice, showcasing paintings tracing the artist’s career from the 1990s to the present, including many seminal works from the past few decades.
Saville’s practice is deeply rooted in the history of Italian painting, with a strong connection to the Venetian school. At Ca’ Pesaro, her monumental canvases engage with the great masters of the past, creating a dialogue between contemporary painting and the city’s artistic heritage.
The final room of the exhibition presents a previously unseen cycle of works created by the artist in homage to the city of Venice.
