United Arab Emirates Pavilion 2026: Washwasha

The National Pavilion UAE announces the appointment of Bana Kattan, Curator and Associate Head of Exhibitions at the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, as curator of the UAE’s upcoming participation in the 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia in 2026.

Kattan was selected by a committee of leading figures from the UAE’s creative sector, including representatives from government, museums, and universities. The Pavilion’s presentation at Biennale Arte 2026 will be accompanied by a dedicated publication. Before joining the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Kattan served as Associate Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, where she curated exhibitions featuring multigenerational artists, including Wafaa Bilal (2025), Maryam Taghavi (2024), and Mona Hatoum (2023). Previously, at the NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery, she co-curated a research-driven exhibition program including Permanent Temporariness by Sandi Hilal and Alessandro Petti (2018), exploring themes of displacement and refugeeness, and But We Cannot See Them: Tracing a UAE Art Community, 1988–2008 (2017), which highlighted a group of pioneering Emirati artists and the interconnected nature of their community. Born in Abu Dhabi and raised in the UAE, Kattan is deeply connected to the country’s cultural landscape and has witnessed the growth and evolution of its artistic community. Drawing on her experience in the region, she has played an active role in shaping discourse around the UAE’s contemporary art scene. Her work engages with socio-political and historical themes while fostering dialogue among both emerging and established artists, across generations, disciplines and various media.

What to expect:
Installation