Vietnam Makes First Appearance At Venice Biennale 2026

Vietnam will present its national pavilion for the first time at the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, widely regarded as the “Olympics” of the global art world. Titled Vietnam: Art in a Global Flow, the exhibition will run from May to November 2026 in Venice, Italy.

Organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and curated by Đỗ Tường Linh, the pavilion brings together 10 artists: Lê Nguyên Chính, Bùi Hữu Hùng, Đoàn Thị Thu Hương, Công Kim Hoa, Lê Hữu Hiếu, Nguyễn Trường Linh, Lê Hoàng Nguyên, Oanh Phi Phi, Triệu Khắc Tiến and Trịnh Tuân.

The exhibition centres on lacquer (sơn mài) as its primary medium. Across painting, installation, and spatial experimentation, the artists approach lacquer through both traditional techniques and contemporary practices. Known for its layered process and depth of surface, lacquer is presented here not only as a material, but as a living artistic language shaped by time, labour, and transformation.

The pavilion also responds to the Biennale’s 2026 theme, In Minor Keys, which foregrounds subtlety, resonance, and quieter forms of expression. This approach aligns with lacquer’s process of layering and polishing, where repetition and precision gradually build visual and conceptual depth.

Marking Vietnam’s first official participation at the Biennale, the exhibition positions lacquer within a broader contemporary context while reflecting on how local materials and practices can engage with global artistic discourse.