Artist Lê Hữu Hiếu is pictured with his works. He will be among Vietnamese artists featured in the 61st Venice Art Biennale. — Photo bvhttdl.gov.vn

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam will present an independent art project in its own exhibition space for the first time at the 61st Venice Art Biennale, which opens in May and runs through November.

The participation marks the first time Việt Nam has presented an independent project in its own exhibition venue at the Biennale, a step seen as strengthening the presence of Vietnamese contemporary art on the global stage and opening opportunities for deeper dialogue with the international art community.

The Venice Art Biennale 2026 is set to take place at the historic palace Ca' Giustinian Faccanon, restored and renovated after more than a year.

Located at Calle delle Acque in the San Marco district near the Rialto Bridge, the palace is a typical example of Venetian Gothic architecture. The building was constructed in the second half of the 15th century by the prominent Giustinian family and still preserves notable architectural features, including a rare open loggia balcony on the main floor, or the piano nobile.

The palace has two main floors with a total area of about 1,100 sq.m. The main floor preserves large triple-arched Gothic windows, large mirrors and historic Murano glass chandeliers. The character of the rooms makes them suitable for hosting conferences, receptions and meetings.

To mark the return of the historic building to Venice’s cultural life, Art Events, the unit that manages the palace, will inaugurate and unveil the exhibition space at the end of March with a private invitation-only event.

The building’s management affirmed that the aim is to return a building of historical value to the city while also providing a venue for cultural and creative activities. The palace will be immediately included in Venice’s art event calendar.

“The Biennale Art Exhibition is always one of the most important moments in international cultural life and for Venice,” said Filippo Perissinotto, founder and president of Art Events and Cultural Real Estate Studio.

“It is also the time of year when the extraordinary potential of the city’s historic venues is most strongly revealed. The return of the Ca' Faccanon Palace from this year on is part of that cultural ecosystem, and an added value for the whole of Venice.”

Việt Nam debut

For more than a century, the Venice Art Biennale has been regarded as one of the most prestigious art events in the world. First held in 1895, the exhibition is often likened to the Olympics of the arts because of its scale and its significant influence on international artistic life.

Each edition of the Biennale brings together hundreds of artists, curators and art organisations from many countries, presenting creative projects that reflect trends and issues in global contemporary art. This year, the organisers have approved the participation of 99 countries and territories.

Among the first confirmed projects is Việt Nam’s exhibition for the 61st Venice Art Biennale – Art in the Global Stream, curated by Đỗ Tường Linh. The project aims to present contemporary Vietnamese artistic perspectives within the framework of globalisation, where cultures constantly interact and shift.

Việt Nam’s debut at the Venice Art Biennale is also linked to the international trajectories of several domestic artists. Previously, Lê Hữu Hiếu became the first Vietnamese artist invited to the 60th Venice Art Biennale in 2023.

He is also the creator of several large-scale exhibitions in Hồ Chí Minh City and Quảng Ninh in 2025, which made a strong impression and attracted public attention. Hiếu is also one of the artists who will participate in this exhibition.

Painting untiled 'Vô Đề' (Untitled) by Lê Hữu Hiếu.

The announcement of Việt Nam’s art project at the Venice Art Biennale 2026 carries significance not only for the country’s fine arts but also as a sign of deeper cultural integration.

Việt Nam has been promoting its cultural presence through major international art events, thereby enhancing the country’s standing and soft power in the context of globalisation. ― VNS