2026

For the Azerbaijan Pavilion the artist presents The Attention, an exhibition featuring seven works across seven rooms and which transforms traditional Azerbaijani carpet-making into contemporary works that reinterpret heritage. Canvas: How did you approach shaping the pavilion, and what kind of experience do you hope visitors will have? Faig Ahmed: I have created a space where one does not encounter art as an object but rather as a reflection of oneself. Each visitor has the

The artist’s immersive Biennale installation at Campo della Tana transforms ages-old carpet traditions into a meditation on consciousness, quantum logic and the country's future. Azerbaijan seldom registers on the art world’s map; for many, it remains shrouded in mystery, a place whose traditions and symbologies have not yet been colonized by the collective imagination. Yet with the opening of this year’s Venice Biennale, the image it wanted to project with its national pavil

Gwendolyn Collaço from the John Hay Library curated an exhibition by Azerbaijani artist Faig Ahmed for the prestigious Venice Biennale art exhibition and festival in Italy. PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Brown University curator and scholar Gwendolyn Collaço knows firsthand why the Venice Biennale exhibition is known as the Olympics of the art world. “You really have to challenge yourself to create something that is engaging, thoughtful and original in a set amount of

Azerbaijan’s contribution to this year’s Venice Biennale is a stunning installation by Faig Ahmed. COVER Editor Lucy Upward takes a look at the installation and speaks to the artist. Stages for the global art scene do not come much more revered than the Venice Art Biennale. Azerbaijan has been appearing on that stage since 2007. A line-up of impressive installations, organised by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, has repre

Faig Ahmed (b. 1982, Sumqayit, Azerbaijan) lives and works in Baku. He graduated from the Sculpture Department of the Azerbaijan State Academy of Fine Arts in 2004. Ahmed represented Azerbaijan at the country's inaugural pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2007 and the Azerbaijan National Pavilion at the 61st International Art Exhibition — La Biennale di Venezia (2026) with the solo exhibition The Attention. Ahmed is internationally recognized for transforming the visual langu

Commissioner: Rashad Aslanov, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijian; Curator: Gwendolyn Collaço; Exhibitor: Faig Ahmed Venue: Campo della Tana, Castello 2124/A, Castello 2125 Faig Ahmed’s The Attention confronts a contemporary dilemma: how to find meaning in the chaos of information overload. By reimagining the medieval poetry of the mystic Nasimi, Ahmed wields cultural heritage to propose contemplation as a salve to social turbulence. His installations transmute

Textile artist Faig Ahmed has long transformed the traditional carpet into something alive. His woven works appear to melt, pixelate, dissolve, and spill across floors like liquid code, merging centuries-old Azerbaijani craftsmanship with the visual language of the digital age. Now, at the 61st edition of Venice Biennale, the artist pushes his practice into even more immersive territory with a monumental installation titled The Attention. Born in Sumqayit and based in Baku, A

Faig Ahmed Expands the Language of the Carpet Faig Ahmed has spent much of the last decade redefining what a carpet can be. Working from the visual traditions of Azerbaijani weaving, the Baku-based artist has become internationally recognized for textile sculptures that appear to melt, distort, and digitally glitch. His work often begins with patterns that seem familiar and historically grounded before unraveling into forms that challenge assumptions about craft, technology,

In May, Venice transformed from a poetic city into an extraordinary work of art as the international exhibition, the 61st Venice Biennale – one of the most important and influential events in the world of contemporary art – opened its doors to the public. More than 90 countries are taking part with their national pavilions, alongside around 30 independent art installations – collateral events – spread across the city. This year’s edition, titled In Minor Keys, was conceived b

De Azerbeidzjaanse kunstenaar Faig Ahmed vertegenwoordigt zijn geboorteland op de 61ste Biënnale van Venetië. Met zijn solotentoonstelling The Attention transformeert hij traditionele Azerbeidzjaanse tapijten tot vloeibare, vervormde sculpturen. In een doolhofachtige installatie onderzoekt Ahmed de grens tussen eeuwenoude ambachten, spiritualiteit en moderne computerwetenschap. Faig Ahmed (Bakoe, 1982) brak internationaal door met textielkunst waarin hij patronen van klassiek

Faig Ahmed is renowned for his vibrant textile sculptures, which use traditional Azerbaijani ornamental carpets as their starting point. Often, these works seem to melt, pool, or glitch. Currently, at the 61st Venice Biennale, Ahmed is representing Azerbaijan with a solo exhibition titled The Attention. This installation explores themes of science, alchemy, spirituality, and self-perception in a sprawling, maze-like setup. Exploration of science and tradition Curator Gwendoly

Faig Ahmed is known for his vibrant textile sculptures that take traditional Azerbaijani ornamental carpets as starting point, often appearing to melt, pool, or glitch. In his current solo presentation at the 61st Venice Biennale, where he is representing Azerbaijan, the Baku-based artist branches out into more conceptual territory, exploring science, alchemy, spirituality, and perceptions of self in a sprawling, maze-like installation called The Attention. Curated by Gwendol

No protest, no political noise. These pavilions at the 2026 Biennale di Venezia show how, through crafts, art can hold a mirror to our most pressing concerns. Art, Architecture. When the late curator Koyo Kouoh invited participants of the 2026 Biennale di Venezia to step back from spectacle and embrace a more sensorial encounter with art, she couldn’t have imagined how turbulent the opening would become. Geopolitics and protests largely overshadowed art itself — yet Kouoh’s v

Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Anar Alakbarov, shared information about the opening of the national pavilion at the Venice Biennale (Italy). "Another cultural event of the year is the Venice Biennale. The opening of the national pavilion took place, where Azerbaijan is worthily represented by the works of Faig Ahmed, combining traditional motifs and contemporary art. We express our gratitude to

“Azerbaijan’s project "Attention", presented at this year’s Venice Biennale international art exhibition is fully consistent with the concept of the exhibition, enabling the visitors to experience the essence of a creative choice that is not only rooted in national identity, but also has a deep spiritual power,” Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, Venice Biennale President, told AZERTAC. Buttafuoco hailed Azerbaijan’s participation at the exhibition, underscoring the country’s contributi

Azerbaijan is showcasing its rich cultural identity and contemporary artistic vision at the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, one of the world's most prestigious cultural stages. On May 7, the Azerbaijani National Pavilion officially opened, organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ministry of Culture, with the support of the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Italy. Located in the historic 16th-century architectural monument Campo della Tana, the

Azerbaijan is showcasing its rich cultural identity and contemporary artistic vision at the Venice Biennale, one of the world's most prestigious art platforms. On May 7, the Azerbaijan pavilion officially opened at the International Art Exhibition – Venice Biennale, organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ministry of Culture, with support from the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Italy. Operative Information Center-OMM reports that the Azerbaijan pavilion is located at Camp

Bu layihənin bütün mərhələlərinin - ilkin konseptual ideyaların formalaşmasından son tamamlanma işlərinə qədər - ahəngdar şəkildə bir araya gəlməsində iştirak etmək mənim üçün böyük məmnunluqdur. 61-ci Venesiya Biennalesindəki Azərbaycan milli pavilyonunun kuratoru Qvendolin Kollaço AZƏRTAC-a müsahibəsində deyib. Kurator qeyd edib ki, bu il pavilyonda təqdim olunan əsərlər yüksək peşəkarlıq və güclü yaradıcı yanaşma ilə seçilir. Onun sözlərinə görə, Faig Ahmed layihədə həqiqə

Azerbaijan is once again presenting its rich cultural identity and contemporary artistic vision this year at the Venice Biennale, one of the world’s most prestigious art platforms. On May 7, the opening of the Azerbaijani pavilion at the International Art Exhibition – Venice Biennale took place with the organization of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ministry of Culture, and with the support of Azerbaijan’s embassy in Italy. The Azerbaijani pavilion is located at Campo d

Azerbaijan is presenting its rich cultural identity and contemporary artistic thought at the Venice Biennale, one of the world’s most prestigious art platforms, this year again. On May 7, the opening of the Azerbaijan pavilion at the International Art Exhibition – the Venice Biennale, organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ministry of Culture, with the support of the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Italy, took place. The Azerbaijan pavilion is located in Campo della Tana,