Polish Pavilion 2026: Liquid Tongues

“Liquid Tongues” is the title of a project that will be presented at the Polish Pavilion at the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia in 2026.

The installation invites the audience to move beyond familiar modes of perception and to engage in deep listening to marginalized languages, Deaf culture, and more-than-human forms of communication. The project will be on view from 9 May to 22 November 2026. The producer of the exhibition is Zachęta – National Gallery of Art, and the partner presenting the Polish installation in Italy is the Adam Mickiewicz Institute. The narrative axis is formed by stories of loss and renewal – from the revival of whale cultures to contemporary efforts to reclaim languages and narratives marginalized by dominant communication systems. An important reference point for the project is Roger Payne’s 1970 recordings “Songs of the Humpback Whale,” which contributed to the introduction of the ban on whaling and played a significant role in the whales’ preservation. The complex sounds of whales drew global attention to the intelligence and richness of animal cultures, demonstrating that art can restore audibility to voices previously overlooked. The installation “Liquid Tongues” operates on multiple levels: image (photographs by Magda Mosiewicz and Bogna Burska), sound (composition by Aleksandra Gryka), and physical experience, generated by acoustic waves corresponding to sensations evoked by cetacean vocalizations and echolocation. The choreography of the Choir’s collective body is inspired by the movement of fish shoals (Alicja Czyczel).

What to expect:
Installation