2026

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

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

Comunicato stampa At this year's Venice Art Biennale, Azerbaijan presents The Attention, a solo exhibition of new works by Faig Ahmed, curated by Gwendolyn Collaço (currently at Brown University, formerly MIT and LACMA). Installed across seven interconnected rooms at Campo della Tana, near the Arsenale, the exhibition transforms the historic rope-making complex into an immersive environment that reimagines the traditional Azerbaijani carpet as a coded surface—bridging craft,

This year’s Venice Biennale coincides with both expansion and instability. New national voices are emerging, with Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and more staging exhibitions that reflect a changed global context. However, this sense of advancement finds its true meaning in the jury’s courageous stand. Their principled resignation in protest of countries whose leaders face International Criminal Court investigations represents not a disagreement but a powerf

The Venice Art Biennale returns for its 61st edition from May 9th to November 22nd, 2026, and designboom is here to guide you through this year’s main exhibition, national participations, collateral events, and everything unfolding across the city during the six-month event. Titled In Minor Keys, the 2026 International Art Exhibition was conceived by curator Koyo Kouoh, who developed the project before her passing in May 2025. The exhibition will be realized by the curatorial

On the occasion of the 61st International Art Exhibition — La Biennale di Venezia, the Republic of Azerbaijan presents The Attention, a solo exhibition of new commissions by Faig Ahmed, curated by Gwendolyn Collaço. Known for his surreal textile interventions that disrupt and reconfigure traditional carpet-making, Ahmed presents a new body of large-scale, site-specific works that position craft within a broader inquiry into perception, cognition, and contemporary experience.

“ The Venice Biennale remains one of the few places where it is possible to speak freely about everything, on equal terms ” ArtReview sent a questionnaire to artists and curators exhibiting in and curating the various national pavilions of the 2026 Venice Biennale, the responses to which will be published daily in the leadup to and during the Venice Biennale, which runs from 9 May through 22 November. Faig Ahmed is representing Azerbaijan; the pavilion is in the Campo de l

Sede: Tanarte – Campo della Tana, Castello 2124/A, Castello 2125 Titolo della mostra: The Attention Commissario: Rashad Aslanov Ambasciatore Repubblica dell’Azerbaigian Curatore: Gwendolyn Collaço Espositore: Faig Ahmed BIENNALE ARTE 2026 – PADIGLIONE AZERBAIGIAN (Repubblica dell’) Alla Biennale Arte 2026 il Padiglione Azerbaigian presenta The Attention di Faig Ahmed nello spazio Tanarte, vicino all’Arsenale di Venezia. Design e arti visive Alla 61ª Esposizione Internazionale

Faig Ahmed has been selected to represent Azerbaijan at the 61st Venice Biennale. Entitled The Attention , the country’s pavilion will feature a solo representation of newly commissioned works by the artist. The exhibition will be curated by historian Gwendolyn Collaço and will take place at the Campo de la Tana in the Castello district of Venice. Ahmed will present a group of new site-specific works that will examine perception and systems of meaning through textile, sound

The latest announcements of the key players representing their countries at the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. The 61st edition of the Venice Biennale, the most prestigious and oldest-running art biennial, will open on 9 May. The main exhibition will follow the curatorial plan set out by the late Koyo Kouoh , while countries from around the world have been announcing the artists who will represent them in the national pavilions. To help you keep

AZERBAIJAN (REPUBLIC OF) The Attention Commissioner : Rashad Aslanov Ambasciatore Repubblica dell'Azerbaigian; Curator : Gwendolyn Collaço; Exhibitor : Faig Ahmed Venue : Campo della Tana, Castello 2124/A, Castello 2125 *** There are 99 National Participations and 31 Collateral Events in the 61st International Art Exhibition by Koyo Kouoh. The 61 st International Art Exhibition – In Minor Keys by Koyo Kouoh – organised by La Biennale di Venezia , wil

Faig Ahmed will represent Azerbaijan at the 61st Venice Biennale with a solo presentation titled “The Attention.” Curated by Gwendolyn Collaço, a scholar of Islamic and Middle Eastern art, the exhibition draws on Azerbaijan’s ancient weaving traditions, blending historical practices with contemporary technologies. Ahmed previously participated in the country’s inaugural pavilion as part of a group show at the 2007 Venice Biennale. The forthcoming exhibition is organized by th

Sumqayit, Azerbaijan–born artist Faig Ahmed has been chosen to represent his home country at the Sixty-First Venice Biennale , to open May 9 and run through November 11. Ahmed, who is known for his surrealist weavings, previously represented Azerbaijan in a group exhibition at its inaugural Biennale pavilion in 2007. His exhibition here, titled “The Attention,” will be curated by Gwendolyn Collaço and responds to the Biennale’s larger theme, “In Minor Keys,” put forward by

The show by textile artist Faig Ahmed and curator Gwendolyn Collaço will continue Koyo Kouoh’s commitment to interdisciplinary dialogue. By Philippa Kelly – 2 March 2026, Venice Azerbaijan’s pavilion at this year’s Venice Biennale will pay homage to the creative framework of late curator Koyo Kouoh , who was to serve as the artistic director for the 2026 edition of the biennale, the team behind the national pavilion announced today. The country will present The Attention ,

At the 61st International Art Exhibition—La Biennale di Venezia, Azerbaijan presents the pavilion "The Attention" by Honored Artist Faig Ahmed. The exhibition is organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, supported by the Ministry of Culture and the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Italy. Overview of "The Attention" Conceived as an immersive, multimodal environment, "The Attention" unfolds across a sequence of interconnected spaces. The work responds to the uncertainty, anxiety, and

Azerbaijan will participate in the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia with a national pavilion, presenting the project titled “The Attention” by Honored Artist Faig Ahmed. The exhibition is organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Italy. Conceived as an immersive, multimodal environment, “The Attention” unfolds across a sequence of interconnected spaces. The project respo

Azerbaijan will participate in the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia with a national pavilion, presenting the project titled “The Attention” by Honored Artist Faig Ahmed. The exhibition is organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Italy. Conceived as an immersive, multimodal environment, “The Attention” unfolds across a sequence of interconnected spaces. The project respond